TOWN councillors could give financial help to Petersfield Rugby Football Club, which has been dealt a massive blow with the loss of its changing rooms next to the Taro Leisure Centre.

The town council relinquished its rights to use the changing rooms at Penns Place last year when it was revealed that the building was costing £5,000 a year to maintain.

Now the club, which is hoping to move into the London leagues next season, has been left without a building for its hundreds of members and visitors to change in.

The town council has received a letter from the rugby club asking for a contribution of £10,000 towards the cost of temporary changing rooms for the next season, which would cost £25,000.

At a meeting of the grounds committee last Thursday, Brian Dutton asked councillors to support a grant for the club.

He said he hoped the town councilÕs grant would be matched by East Hampshire District Council.

Mr Dutton believes the issue has occurred because of a ÒmisunderstandingÓ between the town council, district council and the rugby club.

He said: ÒWe were not kept well-enough informed as to what the situation was regarding the changing rooms.

ÒWe took the action to pull out because we were told the changing rooms were costing us £5,000 a year.Ó

Dr Brian Keefe said he recognised the rugby clubÕs difficulties and said the town council was ÒsympatheticÓ to its problems.

Deputy mayor Mary Vincent added: ÒThe district council have made their mind up that the changing rooms are going.

ÒWe need to decide what we can do to help the club. They will be losing the use of the changing rooms next year, we need to find out how we can help them before new ones are built.Ó

It was eventually agreed to invite the town councilÕs finance and general purposes committee, which was due to meet last night, to recommend a sum of money to be allocated to the rugby club to help cover the cost of temporary changing rooms.

In a statement after the meeting Petersfield Rugby Football Club chairman Paul Martin said the loss of the changing rooms could have a devastating effect on the club.

He said: ÒThe loss of changing facilities for Petersfield RFC, which is the townÕs largest sports club with around 200 youth players and 70 adult players, is obviously a severe setback and it is no exaggeration to say that it could threaten the very existence of the club if not speedily addressed.

ÒWe have made it clear from the outset to both town and district councils that this is a situation which is not of our making.

ÒWhile we are hopeful that the necessary financial assistance to hire temporary accommodation and expand our own clubhouse to replace the facilities which have now been denied to us will be forthcoming, we continue to have questions about the decision-making process which has bought about this situation.Ó

He added: ÒThe executive committee of the Petersfield RFC would therefore be failing in its duty to the membership if it did not continue to vigorously examine all facets of the affair and to explore every available avenue in order to reach a solution.Ó