PETERSFIELDÕs rugby players have been thrown a £14,000 lifeline by East Hampshire district councillors after they heard the future of the club was at risk because of the loss of changing rooms.

The rugby players claim that if permanent changing rooms were not available at Penns Place, the playing fields could face the threat of housing development.

Members of Petersfield Rugby Football Club need to raise £25,000 to pay for temporary changing rooms next season after losing the use of changing rooms, rented by the town council, at the Taro Leisure Centre.

So far they look set to get £5,000 from town councillors, and on Tuesday made a passionate appeal to members of the district councilÕs central area community committee for help.

Steve Downes, the clubÕs youth chairman, said members not only needed help for temporary changing rooms, but plans they had been forced to make for permanent changing rooms would cost between £400,000 and £600,000.

Time was not on the clubÕs side, he said, as £25,000 would only cover the cost of temporary changing rooms for one season. Petersfield Rugby Football Club needs to provide a permanent solution by the start of the 2003-04 season.

But he stressed: ÒThe clubÕs preferred solution is that the Taro Centre changing rooms remain available to the rugby players and footballers who use the Penns Place playing fields.Ó

Mr Downes told the meeting £25,000 represented all the membersÕ subscriptions for two years: ÒOur application for funding to provide temporary accommodation is one of necessity given the short notice period given to the club. It is not in a position where it can conjure up £25,000.Ó

The club was, he said, wholly reliant on its membersÕ subscription fees. Other sources of income included tournaments, social events and the Petersfield real ale and music festival, run in partnership with the Round Table.

ÒPetersfield Rugby Football Club does have a great deal of assistance from small businesses for which we are grateful,Ó he added.

ÒHowever the lack of major employers within the town means that Petersfield Rugby Club has been unable to gain the level of sponsorship received by many other clubs in Hampshire.Ó

It had also received several grants but these were all for specific projects, he said.

Mr Downes claimed: ÒIf changing rooms are not available we are concerned that the playing fields will join those already identified by the National Playing Fields Association as at risk from housing development.Ó

And he stressed that the club was being put at risk because of the financial implications of running fewer teams and the potential cancellation of tournaments.

The club wanted to work in partnership with EHDC and the town council to maximise its chances of gaining funding from other bodies, said Mr Downes, and he stressed that the demand for pitches and changing rooms at Penns Place would increase over the next few years.

Teresa Jamieson told the meeting: ÒThis club has been caught between the district council and the town council in a situation not of their making.Ó

She said she had warned the cabinet of the implications of withdrawing the changing rooms and now the district council should actively support their replacement.

ÒThis club deserves our help, they find themselves in a terrible predicament. They have come up with this solution and they need this quite small amount of money which will make a huge difference. Without this money it is true to say the club is at risk.Ó

Councillors agreed to her request that, due to the exceptional circumstances, the club should be allowed to reapply for more funds in the future for permanent changing rooms.

Council leader Elizabeth Cartwright told the meeting: ÒThe town council certainly gave up, quite willingly, the changing rooms because they owed this council money for rent on them. I do think the town council should be sharing the cost with us.Ó

Committee chairman and town councillor Bob Ayer said the town council had been advised that capital expenditure could be used for the changing rooms.

Andrew Pattie proposed that district councillors should give the club £13,797, leaving £10,000 to be found by the town council: ÒWe should try to give them the opportunity to make the right decision next week,Ó he stressed.

Judy Onslow added: ÒI donÕt know why Petersfield Town Council has not bitten the bullet. It is going to have to put its mind to supporting this club. Ó

The meeting agreed to recommend to cabinet to make a grant of £13,797.