FOOTBALL: Ilminster Town’s Archie Gooch Pavilion is really taking shape

PEOPLE of all ages have been given a sneaky peak inside the new building which will become the headquarters of Ilminster Town Football Club.

A tour of the site was laid on for visitors – young and old – earlier this month on Saturday, March 19, 2016, at what will be known as the Archie Gooch Pavilion and is currently nearing completion in Britten’s Field, adjoining the Ilminster Recreation Ground.

Members of the Ilminster Lions Club, who had earlier made a £350 donation to the Ilminster Youth FC, were shown round by Matt Conway of developers M. W. Layzell who are carrying out the work.

Matt told Ilminster Press that it had been a really enjoyable project because he appreciates that it is going to make a huge difference to Ilminster Town FC and the community as a whole.

The Lions Club members were really impressed with what they saw and said that it was going to be “fantastic facility” for Ilminster.

PHOTO – TOP: Matt Conway (left), of developers M. W. Layzell, with members of Ilminster Town Youth FC outside the new Archie Gooch Pavilion on Britten’s Field.

PHOTO - RIGHT: What will be the function room and bar area of the Archie Gooch Pavilion.

The club’s youth players were also shown around and their faces lit up when they saw the facilities they will be able to enjoy in years to come.

There will be four changing rooms with showers, plus a separate changing room for the referee and assistants.

There will also be a large bar and function room which can be divided down into smaller rooms to make it more of a convenient and manageable size for other community groups who will be looking to use the facilities.

There will be a good-sized bar and kitchen area to make it a great place for functions – not only for private events, but also for the club itself in fundraising projects.

Work has virtually kept on schedule and it does not seem that long ago when the ceremonial “first turf” cutting was being carried out on October 15, 2015, by Heather Virgin of the Gooch Charitable Trust which has been a big supporter of the £600,000 project.

It is hoped that the building will be finished in the next couple of months and in plenty of time ahead of the new 2016-17 football season.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Matt Conway, of developers M. W. Layzell, inside one of the new changing rooms.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Work continues inside the Archie Gooch Pavilion.

PHOTOS - ABOVE: What will be the function room area at the Archie Gooch Pavilion.

PHOTO – ABOVE: Flashback to October 15, 2015, and the ceremonial cutting of the first turf. Heather Virgin, of the Gooch Charitable Trust, cuts the ceremonial first turf at Ilminster Town FC’s new site in Britten’s Field with (from left) Matt Conway of developers M. W. Layzell, Ilminster Town club secretary Eric Fish, Peter Barson and Marion Ward of the Gooch Charitable Trust, Ilminster Town club president Clive Moore, Ilminster Town executive committee member Darren Paul, and site manager John Shorey.

PHOTO – ABOVE: The building work having just started in October last year.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The Archie Gooch Pavilion now in March 2016.

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