Joy for town club as £1.1m revamp ends
Members of a Staffordshire club are celebrating after completing the final piece in the jigsaw of an eight-year £1.1million refurbishment plan.
The finishing touches have just been made to the new-look Lea Hall Miners Welfare Centre, in Sandy Lane, Rugeley. Its revamp has been completed with a £250,000 refurbishment of its concert hall and a new computer suite along with a lift and toilet facilities. MP Tony Wright joined more than 100 members to celebrate the opening of the facilities.
The money for the latest improvements was realised through a £185,000 grant from the Coalfield Regeneration fund and £40,000 through the Staffordshire Environmental Fund.
It brings to an end eight years of refurbishment work which included improving the appearance of the building along with a new bar and conservatory.
Roger Loader, project manager, said it had been hard work securing grants to improve the community building but it had all been worth it in the end.
He said: "We are all absolutely delighted. The new concert room is fantastic.
"It is used by lots of people for dancing and to play bingo and is hired out by members for special occasions.
The building dates back to the 1960's and was very outdated.
"The new concert room has fitted seats and looks absolutely superb.
"The computer room is used by the Workers Education Association. There are 14 computers available and it really is a tremendous facility.
"We are absolutely delighted with how the building looks now and brings to a conclusion years of hard work to bring the centre up to scratch."
The centre has been undergoing renovation since 2001 to upgrade and modernise its facilities, when work was carried out on the pavilion and tennis courts.
Later there was the building of a conservatory, and a new entrance and foyer area which was opened in 2008.
Commissioned glass artwork was also unveiled featuring an image of a miner and a Cannock Chase deer.
The main building was built in 1967 at a cost of £100,000.
