Club Refurbishment Update - May 2026

By Mike Srokowski - Trustee

Our Clubhouse has served us incredibly well since it was built by renowned local builder, RG Carter, in 1971. When it was first built, Beeston Hyrne was recognised by those within the Eastern Counties rugby community as the best facility in East Anglia and today there are many visiting supporters who have fond memories of the warm hospitality they experienced when playing against Norwich in the 1970’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s. Sadly though, as time has passed, the ever-increasing expense of maintaining the facility in its current format has made it very difficult to manage cost-effectively, most noticeably over more recent years.

The Committee recognised this as a growing issue as far back as 2010 and looked at various options, including relocation to the University of East Anglia, which would have only been made possible by the sale of our entire facility. However, the preferred option amongst our members was always to remain at Beeston Hyrne and, having been able to sell a small (under two acres) strip of the land which is adjacent to our southern border with the Norwich School (Redmayne) Playing Fields, we now find ourselves in the fortunate position to be able to refurbish and modernise the Clubhouse so that it becomes economically and environmentally sustainable for many years to come.

In addition to our plans to refurbish the Clubhouse, we have also completed the acquisition of c.12 acres of land immediately adjacent to our northern border. In total this means that we now own c.33 acres, which will provide us with room for future expansion and the uptake of potential commercial opportunities.

So, where are we now?  
In terms of the redevelopment process, we have appointed Richard Utting Associates as cost and project management consultants and Chaplain Farrant for the provision of architectural services. Initial site surveys are currently underway with a view to commencing architectural design within the next few weeks and planning submissions immediately thereafter. All being well, we aim to begin work on the refurbishment towards the end of October, with the project duration expected to take around ten months.

On this point, it is the policy of Norwich Rugby Club to welcome approaches from those sponsors and members who may be keen to provide their services as part of the construction fulfilment process. If this is the case, please send an email to; mike.srokowski@hotmail.co.uk cc craig@cmkre.co.uk expressing your interest and confirming the type of service you provide.

Unfortunately, the nature of the work means that we would not be able to use the facility whilst it is ongoing and our committee is looking at a variety of options that will enable us to continue playing rugby at Beeston Hyrne throughout the construction phase. Once a final decision has been made, the Membership will of course be notified.

Looking towards the future, there is no doubt that in order to ensure continued financial viability over the longer term, our new facility must lend itself to the creation of as many revenue-generating opportunities as possible. The fact that we will be surrounded by approximately four thousand residential properties provides the foundation upon which Norwich Rugby Club can become a valued sporting hub within the local community for many years to come. With this in mind we have also engaged FMG Consulting, who specialise in advising sports clubs on how to identify and incorporate additional income streams from the inclusion of complimentary sports, such as (for example); a commercial gym, cricket, padel, netball or football.

These are hugely exciting times for Norwich Rugby Club. Since its founding in 1884, the Club has overcome many challenges, not to mention two world wars, a few relocations and Covid, however the redevelopment of our facilities will once again set us on the right track for a bright and sustainable future. Over the coming weeks we will provide more updates, particularly in relation to the plans for the 26/27 season. In the meantime, the graphic above is included as an example of what can be achieved and may not be accurate to the final design.