Falkirk Council: Falkirk Rugby Club granted licence change to involve young members

Members of Falkirk Council’s licensing board approved the changes today (Wednesday), following a site visit to see the newly upgraded facilities.

Rugby club president Bill Faulds told the board that the club, which was established in 1972, had recently had a huge growth in junior members, who they are keen to be fully involved.

“We certainly don’t want them to have to leave the building at 8 o’clock at night,” he said.

Back in 2018, he explained, the club had about 50 primary school members, known as the Minis, whose numbers have now grown to around 180; while 160 secondary pupils are now attending, compared to around 40 in 2018.

Mr Faulds said: “We’ve had quite a growth in junior members and also family members, so the current licence precludes them from taking a function and bringing their kids along.

“We’re trying to make the kids intrinsic to the club. Indeed, part of the reason we’re being successful currently is that we’ve brought kids through in the last six or seven years and they’ve actually made it into the first team.”

The club is also hoping that an £850,00 upgrade to its pavilion – which opens this Saturday – will allow them to have a women’s team.

He added that the club now has around 50-60 girls among the Minis, as well as around 80 girls who are at high school.

Mr Faulds said: “Back in the day, the pavilion wasn’t really fit for men, let alone women and we’ll have fully segregated showers and changing rooms and a state-of-the-art gym.”

The board agreed that children and young people up to the age of 17, who are attending a function with an adult, can now stay on the premises until the event finishes.

Youngsters attending training events can be there until 10 pm.

The club also successfully applied for a permanent licence for its outdoor drinking area which has been using occasional licences up until now.

The licence now covers up to 150 people at a function.

Councillor Robert Spears, who praised the club for community involvement, said he was “very impressed” by the site visit and members unanimously agreed the changes.