Victorian sports club takes 'new direction'

The club was founded in 1887 and has previously focussed on a few key sports

A sports club which has been part of a city since 1887 says it is taking a new direction in a bid to survive.

Ashbrooke Sports Club in Sunderland once hosted a cricket match between Durham and Australia in front of 25,000 people, but declining membership has seen it battling to stay open.

Now the charity wants to offer a wider resource with its clubhouse used for societies, parent and toddler groups and a community garden.

Ben Robinson from the club said: "Of course we want people to do sport here, but we also want it seen as a space for other activities".

Ben Robinson is leading a campaign to try and find new uses for the club

Ashbrooke has approximately 500 members who use its facilities for four core sports - cricket, rugby, bowls and squash.

"We are such a proud part of Sunderland's heritage," Mr Robinson said.

"But a lot of members left during Covid and people have got out of the habit of using the club.

"We came so close to folding a year ago, only a loan from one of our members kept us going."

Australia played Durham at Ashbrooke in 1926 in front of 25,000 spectators

A new board of trustees is bringing fresh ideas and investment.

Mr Robinson says the key message is: "We are not closed.

"We now have three function rooms of different sizes that clubs and societies can use and there won't always be a charge."

"We are holding our big fireworks display which we haven't had for eight years and we're just saying to people, 'pop in and see us because the place is really changing'.

"We just want to give this historic club a future."