The July heatwave has scorched plans to complete Harborough Town’s new £800,000 redevelopment by the start of the new season.
Completion of the club’s new 3G pitch has been delayed because contractors have been unable to lay the tarmac base due to the hot weather.
In February, Harborough Town secured funding for a state-of-the art, all-weather 3G Stadia Quality pitch, increase the capacity at Harborough Town Community Football Stadium from a three-sided to four-sided ground which will increase the ground capacity and double the car parking at the club.
The project was due for completion during August, but the pitch will now be completed by the end of August and the car park works by the end of September.
Club Chairman Laurence Jones said: “It was very disappointing that the project completion had been delayed as this has a significant impact on the operational running of the club. The first team whose season starts on August 4 are having to play their early season games away from home and with FA Cup and FA Vase fixtures also scheduled for early season it is a real headache.
“Added to this is the scheduling of fixtures for our 44 youth teams and other users of the facility it becomes a massive job for the club staff and volunteers as we will all be striving as best we can to ensure its business as usual at Harborough Town, but the delay is frustrating as we have been carefully planning the delivery of the project for the last twelve months.
“However, we are just getting on with it as we can’t control the weather and whilst it creates loads of additional work for the volunteers and staff at the club it is very much a case of some short-term pain for long term gain, as the new facility will be exceptional when it fully opens at the end of September.
“Everyone associated with the club is looking forward to the new facilities, not just the players and volunteers but also community groups and the people who book the facilities privately.”
Harborough Town is a community football club with more than 700 players aged from six to 70 representing 48 teams, embedded in the community and passionate about seeing its first team climb the non-league ladder. In addition, the club is also home to the local league teams, The Royalist, The Cherry Tree, the Brooke House Football Academy and the facility is also used by many local recreational players.
