A RUGBY club can now focus on bringing through the game's new generation of players after it secured its home for the next 25 years.
Brentwood Rugby Club has agreed a new lease with Brentwood Borough Council to continue playing at its King George's Playing Fields in Ingrave Road, for the next quarter of a century.
The club will pay the authority a nominal rent and in return will ensure that the grounds are maintained.
Club chairman Richard King hailed the news as a "win, win" for the club, the council and park users alike.
Mr King said the club, founded in 1935, was now able to focus on securing the long term future of the game in the borough.
"We want to leave a legacy for the next 78 years," he said.
"We required the council to spend more time looking after the pitches than they are able to but now we get better pitches and they no longer have the cost of maintaining the fields.
"We have found a solution that works for both parties.
"We're a real community club and we can mobilise our membership.
"If we need help we can get people to help out in a way that the council probably couldn't."
The club has produced some capable players since being founded at the White Hart pub (now the Sugar Hut) in Brentwood High Street with recent players representing Essex and joining top professional academies at clubs such as Northampton and Saracens.
Youth chairman Mike Rose, who has two children within the club's development system, said the new lease will help to continue developing a "pool of talent" for the club.
"Quite a high percentage in our first XV came through the mini and youth schemes," he said.
"The best way to develop players is to bring them through the age groups as you know the players and their strengths and weaknesses.
"This arrangement is great as it will mean they can train all the way through the winter.
"The park we've got is great but a bad onslaught of rain and it causes problems."
The club is now investing in new equipment to keep the playing turf in top condition for teams ranging from under 7s to veterans.
Having purchased a new £11,000 tractor, treasurer Peter Watson now hopes the long term lease will help the club in its quest to build a new state-of-the-art clubhouse.
"We're a big club but our infrastructure and facilities don't match what we do on the pitch," he said.
"The money we've been paying the council we hope to reinvest in the pitches. Funding groups want to know you're going to be around for a good while.
"Hopefully, now that we have this stability, we can now apply for extra funding."
Cllr Keith Parker, Brentwood Borough Council's spokesman for environment and parking, said: "We are delighted to support this increasingly successful sporting facility which is a real asset to the community and plays such an important role in developing the next generation of sportsmen and women."
The first home match of the season will see Romford head to Brentwood on September 14 before the club holds an open weekend during the same weekend.
