Penrith's Frenchfield Stadium to undergo £900,000 revamp including new 3G pitch

The stadium is owned by Westmorland and Furness Council. Credit: Westmorland and Furness Council

A football stadium in a Cumbrian market town is set to undergo a £900,000 revamp.

The investment will be spent on a new pitch and ground improvements at Penrith's Frenchfield Stadium.

A new state of the art 3G pitch is to be installed and improvements to the ground have already begun.

The stadium is leased to Penrith Football Club by Westmorland and Furness Council, with the club supporting over 30 male, female and junior sides.

The club has been working with the Cumberland FA to improve the facilities to cope with the increase in demand for women's football and winter training.

The project is funded by investments from the FA, the government's football foundation, Penrith FC and the Premier League Club development fund, as well as, Westmorland and Furness Council.

Councillor Virginia Taylor, cabinet member for sustainable communities and localities at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “Penrith Football Club has contributed a great deal to the town, to sport and to everyone’s enjoyment of it, for well over a hundred years. I am really delighted that the work to improve their stadium has finally begun – my thanks to everyone who put in so much blood sweat and tears to make it happen. 

“The new pitch will provide benefits not only to the football club, but also to the wider community. Enhancing the facilities will promote physical activity, creating a space for people of all ages to participate in sports and lead healthy lifestyles."

As well as improving the facilities at the club it is hoped the revamp will encourage more local children to increase the amount of physical activity they take part in.

Penrith AFC General Manager, Billy Williams, said: “I’m delighted to see the club’s hard work on this project finally come to fruition.

"Over the last few years we’ve developed a positive working relationship, formerly with Eden District Council and now with Westmorland & Furness Council, to help secure the investment needed to improve the facilities at the stadium."

Craig Lewis, football development anager at the Cumberland FA, added: “It’s fantastic to see the upgrade work being done at Penrith AFC. The new 3G pitch will provide the club with a base to train and play as many games as possible with the pitch able to facilitate each format of the game."

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