Work gets under way on Bury Town’s clubhouse revamp

Work is getting under way today on Bury Town’s £100,000 clubhouse renovation at Ram Meadow after planners gave the go ahead last week.

After volunteers helped to clear the site over the last week contractors have moved in today to put up scaffolding and dismantle the conservatory as well as remove asbestos from within the roof.

The project, required after inspectors deemed the dilapidated structure ‘unfit for purpose’ and requiring an immediate rebuild, got given the green light to go ahead last Tuesday without the need for going before a committee at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, after no objections were received.

It is being subsidised by £50,000 from St Edmundsbury Borough Council from allocated funding for community sports projects after the council gave the club a new five-year lease upon deciding to part-fund it.

The rest of the funding will come from club sponsorship.

Bury’s chief executive, Michelle Banfield-Curran, said: “Obviously we are delighted it all went through and we are now focused on getting it down and back up.”

She also praised the help the club had received over the last seven days from their own fanbase in preparing the area for the work.

“We had some fantastic helpers down last week getting things out. Everyone seems to be right behind it.”

The club, who have been told by their borough council tenants they will not be able to stay at Ram Meadow long-term, as the land is earmarked for housing and car parking, have released their pre-season fixture schedule which includes five home matches, starting in under a month.

But Banfield-Curran said they have already agreed with their scheduled visiting opponents to work around having no clubhouse in operation, putting up a temporary outside bar and barbeque to allow the club to continue generating income through the build-up to the season.

The architect drawings for how the clubhouse will look can be viewed here.

Meanwhile, the club have frozen their matchday and season ticket prices from last season for 2016-17 with an early bird discount available if supporters purchase before June 30.

For more information about prices and how to purchase one, click here

The following pre-season fixtures have been confirmed by the club:

July:

Tue 12 19:45 H Braintree Town

Wed 13 19:45 A Whiton United

Fri 15 19:45 A Brantham Athletic

Fri 22 19:45 H Walsham-Le-Willows

Tue 26 19:45 A Ipswich Wanderers

Thu 28 19:45 H Mildenhall Town

Sat 30 15:00 H Needham Market

August:

Sat 6 15:00 H Colchester United U18