Having witnessed the success that Welton Rovers has had working in conjunction with Midsomer Norton Town Council, Radstock Town FC reached out to its own Town Council this week to try and 'up it's game'.

The side, which formed in 1895, is thought to be the oldest organisation in Radstock and has come up with a plan to develop the Recreation Ground for the benefit of both the club and the local community. It is asking the Town Council for its support, saying in the past that it has felt 'divorced' from the town and hope that now is the time that the two can work together, particularly with the building of 200+ houses in the centre of Radstock and over fifty houses at Knobsbury Lane, Writhlington.

Radstock Town FC play in the Toolstation Western League in Division One and have three adult sides, an Under-18s team and junior/mini football. The club says its facilities are growing tired and is not only in need of investment, but an opportunity to completely reinvent the grounds for the community as a whole for future use.

It is hoped that the club could access grants from the FA, Sport England, NHS initiatives and more to install new, energy-saving floodlights, completely fence off the ground which would make it ideal for firework or community events and to develop the land around the site, which is mainly used by dog walkers at present, installing outdoor gym equipment, an artificial running track, retain and improve the skate park and even provide for other sports, such as netball or hockey, providing an outdoor 'health campus'.

The club would benefit from new changing facilities and showers and make for a better spectator experience to bring in the crowds, with even the idea of a community laundrette on site, so that both the club and local residents benefit.

The idea was warmly received by Town Councillors, who will be setting up a Working Group to work alongside the club and help give them the support they will need. Cllr Chris Dando warned that support from B&NES may be difficult, with £38 million in cuts to find in the next four years, it will be unlikely that it would have the cash to support such ideas, but that the Council will certainly have the expertise to be involved. Cllr Keith Tyrrell hinted that as well as grants, it should be explored as to whether or not S106 money for the Knobsbury Lane development could be used.

Welton Rovers and Midsomer Norton Town Council found that the Charity Commission lease agreement and improvement to the ground was a long and sometimes costly process. Radstock may find it to be the same.