Gloucester venue to close doors leaving sides homeless for final months of the season

The events venue, Wall’s Club, has announced they will be closing their doors on Sunday 31 March, news that will impact grassroots football in the area.

On Wednesday morning, the venue released a statement on their website and social media which read:

“It is with deep sadness that we announce today that the Walls Club will close its doors for the final time on Sunday 31st March 2024 after providing a huge range of social events and sporting facilities for the employees of Walls Factory and the people of Gloucester for over 60 years.

During this time, the Walls Club has become a Gloucester institution, known, and used by so many who enjoyed the family friendly atmosphere, fantastic customer service and value for money facilities it has provided. Our aim as a business has always been to provide an affordable and accessible community facility aiming to provide great products and services that delivers value for money while assisting local people, businesses and charities.”

The statement goes on to further cite that the company would be placed into liquidation following long-lasting financial effects felt from the Covid pandemic.

The news will now see the two football clubs who share the grounds be without a home from the end of March.

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Barnwood United have their first team in Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two and Reserve side in Division Three of the Stroud & District League and will now need to find a location to play a number of home games in April.

Both sides currently have two scheduled in at the time of writing, but with the wet whether set to continue over the next week or so, that could pile up.

Barnwood are set to move to the new facility in Cooper’s Edge, however there is no timescale due to the need to finalise the legalities before work can begin to make the transfer.

“I don’t know what we will be able to do over the next few months,” admitted Barnwood First Team manager, Craig Salter.

Elsewhere, Gloucestershire County Women Football League side City of Gloucester Women also have three home games needing to be played past the 31 March, as it stands, so will need to source an alternative pitch if they are to play their final home games scheduled in April.

Both sides also have a youth section, with question marks also raised for next season and beyond as facilities are at a premium already.

To read the full statement from the Wall’s Club click here

Both Barnwood United and City of Gloucester Women are at home this weekend, with Barnwood hosting Chesterton on Saturday, before City of Gloucester Women host Lydney Town Ladies on Sunday afternoon.