THE town sports centre has finally reopened, nearly a year and a half on from the record floods of February 2020, following a refurbishment costing more than £200,000.

Herefordshire County Council took the Wilton Road building off the Community Interest Company who run the centre last year after it flooded and stripped the building, which is home to the town’s cricket, football and petanque clubs, plus the park run.

A Ross Juniors Fc spokesperson posted at the weekend that after “lots of work, worrying and woes” Ross Sports Club had reopened on Friday, just in time for its 15-team men’s football tournament the following day.

Established 10 years ago, the clubs took on the building in a dilapidated state to run it as a community interest company (CIC), and the £240,000 upgrade, including more unisex changing rooms, a larger bar area and refurbished clubhouse and better flood defences, has now lifted it to a new level.

Centre director Paul Flitney told a recent meeting of the town council: “The total sum of the insurance money is £173,000, but we were thinking the funding was going to be more than £173,000 so we’ve had to go into our pots.

“The football club have contributed £49,000 through grants, the CIC have contributed circa £20,000. So we’ve got about £69,000 on top of the £173,000.”

Ross Juniors posted at the weekend: “In December, the council asked if the CIC would do the refurbishment.

“Tommy Thompson, an ex-Ross Juniors manager generously offered to be project manager.

“Neil Vanstone, an ex-manager too, was appointed as contractor and various local businesses were used.

“The football club stepped forward to provide through grants some £60,000 of support…

“Thanks is owed to so many particularly Herefordshire County Council, Ross Town Council, Councillor Louis Stark, Herefordshire Community Foundation, High Sheriff Tricia Thomas, Paul Deneen, Colin Birks, Joyce Thomas, Football Foundation, Westons Cider, Wye Valley Brewery, Herefordshire FA and the National Lottery.

“The new clubhouse now has a larger bar, a new range of local produce and drinks to sell, an outside table area, unisex changing rooms and bathrooms and larger club room.

“There is a brand new speaker system and TVs, commercial kitchen and a disabled access toilet is to follow.

“The whole building has been completely refurbished and we think it looks fantastic.

“Thank you especially for the money donated last February through the Just Giving club page.

“This money has ensured we can finish the project and reopen… without it the CIC could not have done it.”

Meanwhile, Sports Club volunteers will be running the charity shop in town on Gloucester Road from June 20 for two weeks, with all funds raised going towards improving the centre further.

They are looking for volunteers to help with either a morning or afternoon shift and say it’s “a lot of fun, social, full training given and helping the sports centre too”.

To help out, message Ross Juniors FC on their Facebook page.