Following an efficient 48 week build process by our construction partner Mitchell Design & Construction and an intense 4 week fit out period managed by the Club itself, we are delighted to announce that there will be a limited soft opening of the new HHRFC Clubhouse this coming weekend.

The official opening of the new Clubhouse will happen once all building work is complete, likely in the Spring of 2025, when we can plan to celebrate the achievement of raising £2.5m across 14 grant providers, important significant corporate and individual donors and the help of everyone who has supported Club fund raising events over the last seven years.

It has been touch and go whether we would be ready in time for this weekend as we negotiated important compliance issues, which is why this announcement could not be made until today – in fact we received sign off at 3.30pm for the last remaining areas that needed to be finalised before members could be allowed to enter the new building.

There are two senior matches being played at Whitemans Green on Saturday against local rival East Grinstead RFC. The pre-match lunch that happens before every home fixture, and is always sold out well in advance for Christmas, will be the first event to taste the fantastic food offering from our new catering partner, The Boondocks Kitchen.

Our amazing new Clubhouse Manager, Lucy Martin, will be front of house and running her team behind the bar which will be open from 2pm on Saturday.

Please be patient, this is a soft launch at a very busy time of year and there will be a lot of testing going on of new systems and procedures. The Clubhouse is far from complete with further decoration and acknowledgement of contributors and past captains etc to follow in the new year.

The bar and kitchen are card only and although in time all HHRFC members will be issued with their personal Whitemans Green Sports Club membership cards which will entitle them to benefits including reduced priced drinks, for the opening 4 weeks we are allowing all visitors to benefit from drinks at members-only prices, while encouraging everyone to join WGSC as soon as possible. The process for doing this will be announced in the first week of the new year.

As you would expect, there are a few new rules which we hope are seen as the Club being as inclusive and accessible as possible for everyone:
No rugby boots must be worn at any time inside the building or on the stairs and balcony, other than in the changing room corridors for players.
Muddy shoes/boots from pitchside – spectators should clean shoes/boots before entering the Clubhouse. Please respect the building which has been fitted out to a high specification (you will notice the difference in comparison to the old Clubhouse).
Security - we have extensive CCTV in operation, however please keep your personal possessions with you at all times.
No parking is allowed in front of the new Clubhouse. Please use the old Clubhouse car park or BFF car park. Do not under any circumstances drive down the lane by the new Clubhouse or block the road outside the Club. Drop offs are allowed where necessary in front of the new Clubhouse but cars must leave immediately - otherwise please park respectfully as above. In order to avoid the very muddy pathway that is the temporary access road, we suggest access on foot via the lane running between the Clubhouse and 1st XV pitch, then walk around the building to the front door or up the external stairs on the north side to the balcony & kitchen hatch.
No smoking or vaping is allowed in the Clubhouse or on the balcony. The nearest available location for smoking and vaping is underneath the balcony where you will find buckets for cigarette buts and discarded vapes. This is an important Fire Risk Factor and cannot be waived for anyone.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome during the day entering via the balcony stairs only to the bar section of the Clubhouse. Dogs are not permitted via the front door and internal stairs. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and cared for by the owner. We would respectfully ask that dogs leave the bar area by 7pm. Access for dogs is operating on a trial period and will be reviewed regularly.
To avoid overcrowding, there may be times when you are asked to wait to enter or move to the balcony for a short period of time by Lucy and her team, please comply with any request. It is for your own safety.
Please respect our neighbours and leave the building quietly - especially late in the evening.
The Clubhouse Manager must be respected at all times, any aggressive or anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated at any time. Her word is final on all matters related to Clubhouse policies.
We are in the process of planning a schedule of events to celebrate the official launch next Spring so all WGSC members will have the opportunity to get involved. These will be announced in the new year.
In the meantime, the following are anticipated opening hours over the Christmas period:

Saturday 21 December Bar open from 2pm
Sunday 22 December 9am to 7pm
Monday 23 December 10am to 11pm
Tuesday 24 December 12 noon to 4pm
Thursday 26 December 12 noon to 6pm

The HHRFC Board will be delighted to welcome you to the new HHRFC Clubhouse and we look forward to seeing you at Whitemans Green very soon!