PETERSFIELD Rugby Club is facing a bleak future unless it can find cash to build more facilities at its Penns Place clubhouse, claimed members this week.

Making a special plea for support from town councillors, members stressed that they were facing an uncertain future through no fault of their own.

The five-strong deputation to the town council included the clubÕs chairman, Paul Martin, and its president, Chris Healey.

Members pointed out they were a highly-regarded club attracting more than 200 young players, some of whom were county players and county champions as well as four successful senior sides. There was also a growing womenÕs membership.

It also hosted town, county and international events.

The club was to lose the use of changing rooms at the Taro Leisure Centre which, left it intolerably short of facilities.

ÒThis is not a situation of our making,Ó said Geoff Litchfield, secretary of PRFC.

In l988 the club signed a 22- year lease with the town council on land to build a new clubhouse.Two months later the town council signed an agreement to provide pitches, changing rooms and showering facilities.

But in l999 the Taro Centre told the club that the town council was no longer responsible for the hire of the changing rooms but the club continued to use them, paying the Taro Centre instead.

The club was told that Petersfield Town Council had decided that the £5,000-a-year cost of renting the changing rooms was too much and had given up its rights at the Taro.

Mr Litchfield told the meeting that East Hampshire District Council had now told the club that the changing rooms would not be available after the end of the current season.

It is understood they are to be converted to more profitable fitness suites.

Paul Martin told town councillors that the loss of the changing rooms would be disastrous for the club.

ÒFor the seniors it means a reduction of fixtures. We can only hold one on a Saturday instead of the three and four we have been holding. We will have to cancel events and lose the income, which is potentially disastrous to the club.Ó

Steve Downes, chairman of the youth section, said there were sometimes more than 200 children as well as the womenÕs teams at the club. ÒWe cannot accommodate them with just two changing rooms.Ó

He added that development of the under-16 girlsÕ team would be stopped Òand ladiesÕ rugby in the town will suffer.Ó

The prestigious National LadiesÕ Sevens would not take place in the town as it had for the past two years, he warned.

ÒThis will mean a loss of publicity for, and income to, the town as well.Ó

As for youth teams, Mr Downes claimed there would be no tournaments, a reduction in fixtures and a reduction of access to sport.

Club members also said they would lose the prestigious RFU Seal of Approval award which put it among the top clubs in the county.

Mr Downes said: ÒIf we lose the changing rooms, the quality of our facilities starts to go and our ability to raise money through lottery grants is also diminished.Ó

He pointed out that at present there were 200 children playing sport at Penns Place Òinstead of sitting at home watching the television or roaming around the streetsÓ.

Chris Todd, project manager for the proposed extension of the clubhouse, added: ÒWe are between a rock and a hard place and we have not caused it.Ó

Mr Martin said the club would now have to find around £150,000 to build a major extension to the existing club house because it found itself quite unexpectedly without enough changing facilities.

Members said they needed the town councilÕs support in persuading East Hampshire District Council to continue renting the Taro changing room for a further season.

ÒThat will give us time to pursue plans for the club house through a lottery grant.Ó

The rugby club also asked for support in making the lottery application which would make the club self-sufficient.

ÒWe not only need help and support but we may be looking for financial help,Ó said Mr Higgins.

Members of the grounds committee said they hoped to be able to support the club.

They are to recommend the finance and general purposes committee to provide a letter of intent to approve a 50-year lease to the club.