FC Elmstead given the go-ahead to build new pavilion: At long last we have a real home for ourselves

FC ELMSTEAD have been given the go ahead from the Football Foundation to begin work on their new pavilion at Chislehurst recreation ground.

 

This is the second part of a two-stage project for the club, who play in the tenth tier of English football, the Southern Counties East Football League First Division.

The first stage was the levelling and improving the drainage of the pitches at a cost of £120,000.

The second stage is to rebuild the pavilion at Empress Drive at a cost of £400,000.

The Football Foundation gave the club a grant in the sum of £264,000, the rest is made up from generous sponsors including £90,000 from the Friends of Chislehurst Recreation Ground, with the remaining funded by the club and various small grant funders.

The new pavilion will house most of the clubs junior teams and some adult sides.  It will have two new changing rooms, match officials’ changing rooms, a café and clubhouse room.

A club statement said: “We hope to have the works completed by the autumn. No further ground improvements are envisaged.  At long last we have a real home for ourselves. It will stand the club in good stead in the future years.”

The club will continue to hire Holmesdale’s Oakley Road ground in Bromley to retain their current league status.