Khalsa Hockey Club reveals plans for new clubhouse

At the club’s annual awards dinner members will be toasting the fact that planning permission has been granted to build a floodlit all weather hockey pitch and a grass cricket pitch both served by a club house building on the former Arnold Lodge playing fields off Bericote Road north of Leamington.

The land was bought by businessman Dr Gurmit Singh who then generously donated it to the Gursewak Trust charity which will work alongside the hockey club will work alongside Khalsa Hockey Club to find funding to build the new facilities.

Dr Singh said: “I am really excited about this project as it will bring these disused sports fields into use.

“I am sure that Khalsa Hockey Club ,with the help of Gursewak Trust, will deliver a fantastic facility for the benefit of the whole community.”

The clubhouse, accessible by a driveway next to and separate to the entrance to Helen Lay Care Centre’s access will include 50 car parking spaces, six changing rooms on the ground floor, male and female umpire changing facilities, aa clubroom on the first floor with a balcony overlooking the hockey pitch, a bar and a kitchen.

It will be fully accessible for people with disabilities and will allow the club to provide post-match hospitality to visiting teams and a venue for watching sports.

The project is expected to cost in excess of £1 million and the club will not sew about finding grants and raising funds for the scheme.

Club secretary John Beaumont said he was grateful to Warwick District Council for granting the planning permission, which is a fantastic opportunity for the development in the area of a centre of sporting excellence for both hockey and cricket.

He said: “The hard work of raising the money to translate this vision into reality starts now.

“The club wants the site to be used by the whole community and expressions of interest would be welcomed from potential partners in the scheme or from groups interested in using the facilities.”

Khalsa Hockey Club was formed in 1973 and entered the league in 1974.

Initially it comprised mainly Sikh players, but it is now a fully integrated club which has consistently ‘punched above its weight’, producing a number of players who have played for England, Wales and Great Britain. In 2012 its 1st team won promotion to the National league - equivalent in football terms to playing in the Championship.

The first team was relegated in this summer’s play-offs but the club is determined to win promotion again.