Pavilion could become home of Uckfield Grasshoppers' club

The West Park Recreation Pavilion in Uckfield could become home of the Grasshoppers Junior Football Club.

Uckfield Town Council is being recommended to investigate the cost of upgrading the facilities and agree in principle to it being used as a single club facility.

It is also recommended to open discussions with the Grasshoppers regarding the possibility of a leasing arrangement for the pavilion.

The council’s general purposes committee is due to meet on Monday and the use of the pavilion comes up in connection with an opportunity to apply for a grant under a recently-announced Sport England “Inspired Facilities” programme.

A report to the committee says the Grasshoppers, who have more than 300 playing members, had indicated a permanent home for the club “would be most welcomed” and the West Park Pavilion had been mentioned for this.

The Working Group had concluded that an upgrade of the pavilion facility would be a “highly suitable project for a grant application”.

It was thought that a minimum grant of £20,000 might be available if the council was successful with an application.

*A previous suggestion to use the grant programme to install a Portacabin at the Harlands Farm Pitch looks unlikely now.

The report says that the cash shortfall between even a maximum grant and the cost of installing a Portacabin at Harlands Farm made it impossible for the council to proceed with the option.