Stratford District Council's Cabinet has approved up to £250,000 for Southam United to finish its clubhouse upper floor, with conditions the club must meet.
Southam United Football Club has the money to finish its clubhouse. Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s Cabinet approved a grant of up to £250,000 on Monday 2 November, for the first floor at Bobby Hancocks Park that has stood unfinished since the building was handed over.
The decision follows the warning from Sir Jeremy Wright, the MP for Kenilworth and Southam, that it was a “now or never moment” and that the club might not survive the winter without help. The money comes with conditions the club has to meet before it is paid.
“A huge boost”
Sir Jeremy, who spent months working on the case with the club and Southam Town Council, welcomed the vote.
“I am delighted that Stratford District Council’s Cabinet has heard our calls and has agreed to a funding package that will help Southam United Football Club make the necessary improvements to the upper floor of the club house that will enable it to offer a fantastic facility to both club and community alike,” he said.
“This is a huge boost for the Club’s dedicated volunteer team, along with Cllr Angela John and Town Clerk Debbie Carro, who have worked so hard to get to this point. I also thank SDC officers for their work in helping to make this happen.”
What the club says
The club said on its website that the grant would pay to “fully complete the upper floor of our facility, including insulation, heating, a kitchen area, accessible toilets and a suspended ceiling”.
“These improvements will help us create a more welcoming, diverse and inclusive facility, while also enabling the Club to generate sustainable revenue for our future,” the statement said.
The statement also addresses the club’s recent past. The council’s report records that its senior team folded in February 2025 and that a new volunteer committee now runs the club. Looking back to last year’s annual meeting, the statement says: “I asked that the Club be judged not on the challenges of the past, but on its achievements going forward. I believe the team leading Southam United FC has achieved a great deal in a relatively short period of time, this funding represents a significant endorsement of that progress.”
“I also recognise that trust in the Club has, at times, been damaged by events of the past. Trust cannot be demanded, it must be earned,” it goes on. “As a committee, we understand that responsibility and remain committed to rebuilding confidence through openness, accountability, community engagement and delivering on the commitments we make, functioning as a not-for-profit entity.”
And it ends with an appeal to the town: “Since 1905, this has been Southam’s Football Club. Your Club. We want the community to feel connected to it, believe in it and help shape its future.”
“This support is not just funding to finish a building; it is an investment in the future of your Club and our community. We look forward to continuing that journey together. The ‘new era’ just got a lot better.”
What the council says
Councillor Lorraine Grocott, the Cabinet member for environmental and neighbourhood services, said the club “has been at the heart of the local community for more than a century, providing opportunities for people of all ages to get active, develop new skills and enjoy the benefits that sport brings”.
“By supporting the completion of these facilities, we are helping to secure the future of the club, protect an important community asset and create greater opportunities for residents to take part in sport and community activities for many years to come,” she said.
The council puts the cost of the work at about £350,000 and the funding gap at about £250,000. The grant comes from its Business Rates Equalisation Reserve.
What has to happen before the money is paid
The report to Cabinet sets conditions, which the council’s release says stand. They include:
- a detailed business plan, and continued work with Birmingham County FA on a Club Development Review
- applications to outside funders
- costed estimates for the work, so the grant can be paid in stages
- proof from the title deeds that the club has the right to occupy the land held by its trustees
The report says that if outside grants come to more than £100,000, the council’s contribution falls accordingly.
What it means for you
The upstairs was designed as a community and function space, and the council says the unfinished floor has limited its use as a venue and restricted the club’s ability to earn money. Once it is finished, the council says it will be a community facility available for wider use as well as for football. No completion date has been given.
The club currently has around 150 players and 19 teams, from under-5s to seniors, and says it wants to grow, including more football for girls and for disabled players. Its annual general meeting is on Monday 9 November at 7pm; the club says members and invited guests are welcome.
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