Macclesfield Express

Silkmen make plans for return of Butch’s Bar

- ALEX SCAPENS

THE popular Butch’s Bar could be a permanent fixture again at Macclesfie­ld Town as the club revealed plans for it to be reopened.

It is hoped the food and drink venue - which is in memory of former player Richard Butcher - can be reopened in a temporary building at the Moss Rose in the ‘immediate future’.

And then the aim is to work with the Silkmen Supporters Trust to find a more long-term option.

Patrick Birch, part of the club’s senior leadership team, says renovation of Butch’s Bar has been on the agenda for some time but now active progress in about to be made.

He appealed to businesses who may wish to get involved.

Patrick said: “If there is anyone out there who can help us with that, obviously we would be looking to reward those who do with advertisin­g around the ground.

“We have got an idea of bringing in a portacabin into that area in the immediate future where we can at least be serving drink and food, and again get Richard’s name associated with that as an immediate measure.

“That would be important, that people do have a facility which they didn’t have last season. Whether we can get that going from the very first game is obviously dependent on finding people who can actually help us do those two things.”

Richard, a midfielder, died in his sleep in 2011 when he was just 29.

He had only joined the Silkmen in 2010 - previous clubs include Notts County and Oldham - but had made a big impression and thought fondly of both the town and club. Patrick said the imminent plans will be a stop gap until a ‘more substantia­l operation’ can be sorted out.

He said: “Again we will be looking for others to come in and help us fund that, but we will create that really good fan experience and we want Richard’s name associated with that and to do justice to his memory.”

 ??  ?? Gail Butcher with the portrait of her son at the Moss Rose
Gail Butcher with the portrait of her son at the Moss Rose
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 ??  ?? Former Macclesfie­ld Town player Richard Butcher died in 2011
Former Macclesfie­ld Town player Richard Butcher died in 2011
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