With the redevelopment of the Victoria Pleasure Grounds edging closer to completion, grassroots teams and community groups have begun to return to enjoy the impressive new facilities on offer and a Community Engagement Officer is now in post.

More than 200 children from junior football teams are already using the venue each week for matches and/or training, along with several adult football and rugby sides, including local teams for women and girls, and four different local athletics clubs and groups. The number of local people enjoying the venue each week is set to rise even further when construction work is completed later this spring and an even broader range of local teams, clubs and community groups is able to access it. Goole Town Council has fielded enquiries about using the pitch from as far afield as Bridlington, demonstrating the urgent need for all-weather sports pitches in the area, but priority will be given to the partner clubs and other local clubs and groups where possible.

Joe Hodgson, who was born next door to the Victoria Pleasure Grounds and still lives in Goole, took up the newly-created position of Community Engagement Officer towards the end of last year. His role involves ensuring that the new-look venue can offer a balanced and inclusive programme of activities, shaped by feedback from local people of all ages and interests. Joe is also first point of contact for the many teams, clubs and community groups who wish to make use of the state-of-the-art sports facilities and events space, as well as for the Football Association (FA), England Athletics and the governing bodies of other sports that take place at the site.

He explained: “Since I started my new role, there has been overwhelming demand from local teams, clubs and groups keen to make use of the new facilities, and it has been a real joy to be able to welcome so many of them back already, even though construction work is still taking place in some areas of the site, which has, of course, posed some logistical challenges. User numbers are set to rise even further when the building work is finished in a couple of months time, and we’re very much looking forward to being able to offer a high quality events space in the new pavilion when it’s ready.

“It has been a ridiculously wet winter and, without the all-weather pitch that we have here now, many football and rugby fixtures and training sessions would definitely have been postponed or cancelled. It’s fantastic to see so many of our local teams for players of all ages already benefiting from the brand new all-weather facilities. I’d like to thank everyone at the local clubs for their patience and understanding as we’ve been busy working on schedules and fixtures, and developing a framework for how the site will operate going forwards. We continue to do our best to manage the various logistical challenges that we face until construction work at the site is complete, so I’d appeal to everyone to bear with us for this final few weeks of this major redevelopment scheme.”

Joe added: “I’ve had several conversations with people who’ve visited the ground from elsewhere in the country as travelling spectators or coaches, and they’ve all said how impressed they are with the redevelopment work. Goole Town Council is taking everyone’s feedback on board regarding the visitor experience and we’re doing everything we can to make the Victoria Pleasure Grounds somewhere people want to train, play and spectate. It’s early days and this is an ongoing project, so we’re still actively working on many different aspects of the site and its functionality. Being from Goole myself, I understand what a special place the VPG holds in the hearts of so many local people. If anyone wants to chat to me about the facilities on offer or has any questions, they are more than welcome to get in touch.”

Paul Challenger, Chairman of Goole Town Tigers, said: “For us, it has made a huge difference being able to train and play locally, and not having to travel out of town, which has been a nightmare for some parents, who have done it for so long because their kids just want to play football. That’s what always makes it worthwhile, seeing kids getting out and enjoying playing football.”

Phil Jones, Chair of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “The Victoria Pleasure Grounds has a long and proud history dating back more than 100 years, but it was no longer fit for purpose and was in dire need of investment. As a Board, we chose to use some of the £25 million in Town Deal funding that had been allocated to Goole by the Government to its redevelopment. 

“That investment really couldn’t have come at a better time for the Victoria Pleasure Grounds and it has been terribly exciting watching the plans become a reality. I’m delighted that the town will soon have a state-of-the-art sport and events venue that can be enjoyed by local people of all ages. It’s just one of the very fitting and lasting legacies of the Goole Town Deal programme.”

The Victoria Pleasure Grounds was in an increasingly poor state of repair and at risk of closure when the Goole Town Deal Board developed its ambitious Town Investment Plan for Goole and earmarked more than £4.6 million to its redevelopment. This, together with a £2.2 million contribution from the Football Foundation and a £250,000 contribution towards the project from Goole Town Council via the Public Works Loan Board, proved to be a timely lifeline for the venue and the ambitious redevelopment plan is now in its final stages of delivery.

The first phase of work at the site involved the installation of the new artificial grass pitch, a multi-use games area (MUGA) and athletics facilities, which were completed last summer. This made it possible for the town’s semi-professional football club, Goole AFC, and professional rugby side, Goole Vikings RLFC, to return to the venue to play their home games. 

During the last six months, the main contractor for the project, Scunthorpe-based Britcon, has been busy progressing other key aspects of the site’s redevelopment, including the construction of a brand new two-storey pavilion and enhanced parking facilities. This work is due to be completed later this Spring.

Goole Town Council will be making further announcements about the Victoria Pleasure Grounds and its redevelopment in the coming weeks and months as work there nears completion. Anyone who would like to find about more about the range of facilities on offer at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds is very welcome to get in touch with Community Engagement Officer Joe Hodgson. Please email joe.hodgson@goole-tc.gov.uk or telephone  01405 763652.