Woodbridge Town FC secures 25-year ground lease

A football club, established 140 years ago, has characterized the acquisition of a new 25-year lease for its home ground as a “major milestone”. Woodbridge Town FC has operated from Nottcutts Park in the Suffolk town since 1990, fielding 27 teams across various categories including girls, boys, women, men, and veterans. According to Chairman Paul Leech, “It’s a massive relief, we can now move on… we are going to see where we can go with the youth [teams] being more involved.” Supporters of the Thurlow Nunn Premier league club expressed approval for the “fantastic news” on its Facebook page, with one individual commending the club’s “positive contribution to the local community”. Mr Leech stated that this “brilliant news” enables the club to seek grants from the Football Association, a departure from its previous reliance on self-funding. He elaborated, “We can put in grants for the changing of the floodlights to LED to help save us money, for example.” He further mentioned, “We have been worrying – last year we had to find £10,000 for a new boiler, which we did through crowdfunding.” Additionally, he acknowledged the retired volunteers for their efforts in helping “keep the place going”. The club house serves as a venue for various organizations, such as slimming and history clubs, and plans to operate as a warm hub starting in January. The club, established in 1885, extended its gratitude to Notcutts, East Suffolk Council, and Suffolk Football Association for their assistance in finalizing the new lease.