Clubhouse Refurbishment

At nearly one hundred years and twenty-five old, the Sussex County Croquet Club in Kingston Lane offers outstanding facilities for the playing of croquet. The Club is affiliated to Croquet England and its eleven lawns have hosted National, European and World Championships. Each year the Club is the principal venue for the Inter-County Association Croquet Championship and the Inter-County Golf Croquet Championship: these prestigious UK tournaments are among the largest croquet events held anywhere in the world.

While our lawns are world class, our clubhouse is somewhat tired, and we are intending to upgrade these facilities over the next 12-18 months. We already have planning permission and intend to improve the look, the functionality, the accessibility and the energy rating of the buildings.

The problem

The wooden current buildings, owned by the Club, are over a century old and poorly suited to the needs of members and their access and use can be particularly challenging for players and visitors with physical challenges. The toilets and changing facilities are rudimentary and the meetings room are poorly suited to needs of the Academy or to gatherings. The kitchen is ill-designed and far from meets modern catering requirements, even though major events may require a hundred or more people be fed.

.... and the solution

The current buildings are to be modernised, extended and improved. Our aim is to retain their historic nature while providing a modern, accessible club house with facilities that are appropriate for one of England’s leading clubs and a world-leading croquet venue.

We will go from this

to this

Benefits

• remove existing barriers to easy access to make our club more easily accessible for those with mobility or access problems and support our drive towards a more diverse, welcoming and inclusive membership.
• create decking between the buildings and the lawns to provide full access for physically challenged members and visitors.
• provide additional space and level access by creating a link between the two blocks.
• provide convenient disabled parking with electric charging.
• improve meeting spaces for the Academy and club functions.
• update our toilets – male, female and accessible.
• create a new modern kitchen capable of catering for 100+ people.
• improve year-round use and energy efficiency with modernised wiring, plumbing and thermal insulation.
• reduce maintenance costs.
  
   

When?

We plan to start in October 2024 and finish by the end of March 2025, thus avoiding the summer croquet season, though it is recognised that some external works may be held over until Autumn 2025.