New Chinnor Rugby Club stadium to support local community
The 5,000-seat development hopes to serve people in south Oxfordshire
Chinnor Rugby Club’s new stadium plan hopes to have a significant impact on the local community in Oxfordshire, enhancing sporting engagement and providing versatile facilities.
The 5,000-seat development will look to include meeting rooms, indoor and outdoor spaces for local people to use.
Club Chairman Nick Stainton said: “The concept is to ensure we are as sustainable a business as possible, both in elite rugby and in a community sense.”
He noted a sharp rise in the number of supporters they have seen, saying he was pleased to be outgrowing their current ground.
“Having 2,000 people come to a game is amazing. It's only three or four years ago we had 200 people so the growth's been exponential and this is the next phase," he said.
Chinnor Rugby Club prides itself on its inclusive approach, currently supporting 1,300 members, including 600 children, and a range of teams from under-sixes to a women’s league team.
“We have touch rugby, walking rugby, we've got a special educational team that we've just launched,” Mr Stainton said.
He added that part of the stadium’s objective is “pulling all that together and providing fantastic first-class facilities for everybody that's connected with the Chinnor Rugby Club.”
A family benefactor is underwriting the costs of the stadium, allowing Chinnor Rugby Club to focus on sustainability and community investment without financial strain.
Simon Vickers, CEO, said the development may be one of the most significant infrastructure improvements the Champ has seen in recent decades.
Continuing his involvement with the club, former England rugby player Nick Easter has had his contract extended and has been appointed to the Main Board, further supporting the club's community ambitions.
He said: “The club have ambition which is also important, something which has shone through on and off the field as we continue to grow sustainably in a hotbed of rugby.”
The timeline for the stadium's construction hinges on planning approval, but efforts are being made to progress with this as soon as possible.