Future of football club’s hub secured after funding award

The future of a Fife football club’s £750,000 sports pavilion has been secured after funds were awarded to provide a fire hydrant for the building.

Glenrothes Strollers had appealed to town councillors to grant £15,000 for the project or face the closure of its new clubhouse, which opened just seven months ago.

The premises have been operating on a temporary occupancy agreement but the club had been warned a further extension would not be granted unless it addressed fire safety concerns.

Councillors agreed to help the club out yesterday, despite concerns the situation had been allowed to develop.

“It is unfortunate that this has happened,” said Councillor Altany Craik.

“We need to make sure that things like this are nailed down in future.

“Assumptions were made and we’ve been done for it.”

Councillors were originally asked to provide £18,000 of funding towards the £27,000 hydrant project when approached by Glenrothes Strollers in August.

Designers had intended to share hydrant facilities with the nearby Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre, only to be told this would not work.

Fife Council had already awarded £350,000 towards the cost of the scheme, which hosts changing rooms, showers and a community cafe.

Mr Craik said he was “relaxed” about the additional request, given the overall cost of the project, but continued: “This is public money and we have got to be more vigorous when examining these things.

“This has been an expensive lesson.”