Hornets Rugby Club have revealed exciting plans to develop their clubhouse.

Having grown considerably on the pitch in recent years, they are now looking to further improve facilities at their Hutton Moor Road base to the benefit of members and the wider community.

With new changing rooms, physio room and gym included in an extension a few years ago, the club is now focusing on other projects, revealed recently on their website.

A statement from the club committee said: "It has always been the ethos at Hornets to try and keep the facilities in line with the quality and quantity of the rugby being played.

"A couple of years ago we could see that not only were the men’s senior sides starting to build something special, the Ladies are building on their squad and introducing more girls teams now at U11’s, 13’s, 15’s & 18’s.

"The minis from the little stingers up to U12’s are ever increasing in numbers and the juniors U13’s through to Colts as always maintaining great numbers.

"The extension to create new changing rooms, gym, physio room and match officials en-suite rooms built a few years ago are serving us extremely well and coping with demand. But with the increase in all playing sides, parents and supporters, we recognised that we are in much need of both more clubhouse space and function rooms."

Central to the plans is the upstairs bar, which has been rarely used in recent years, and is prime for a makeover.

Having held talks with an architect, gained planning permission and sought quotes to carry out the work, Hornets went back to the drawing board to consider an even bigger redevelopment.

The new plans include a large function room with a bar, seating approximately 120 people, as well as a smaller function room with capacity for 60, a large meeting room, an office, as well as male, female and disabled toilets and a lift to make facilities available to all.

The downstairs kitchen will also be extended to cater for the increased space and the entrance is redesigned, with the statement adding: "It is our vision to enable all members to have use of all the new facilities for various uses, be it a party, a team social or other celebrations.

"During the day we will look to attract business and organisations to use the facilities for conferences, training centres, and much more. Our large free car park we believe makes this a very attractive venue.

"These great plans to improve our facilities are so that we can generate finances to support the continuing growth and development of the playing side of the club from the youngest kids through the adult teams."

Hornets are also looking to refuribish their outdoor food hut, which will be open to the general public seven days a week, and will also house a large data cabinet linking to the main cabling communications network on the main road into town thanks to a 'lucrative deal with a communications/data infrastructure company'.

"This deal was one of the main triggers for us to reevaluate maximising our club house expansion to the large scale it is. As this will provide us with further financial security," added the committee statement.

The club also thanked members for continuing to pay their monthly subscriptions, despite the lack of rugby during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as other vital support from backers.

"Massive thanks to our main sponsor Drive Vauxhall for their continued sponsorship. And to two new prime sponsors Ben & Gary at GBRS and Paul & Shaun at PD&CL, and the continued support by long term sponsor WCM," they said.

"Although we’ve had no rugby, these four sponsors have fully committed to supporting Hornets RFC and provided the financial backbone to see us through to the other side."