Ambitious Champ club unveil plans for new stadium

High-flying Champ Rugby outfit Chinnor have unveiled plans to build a new 5,000-seater stadium on its existing Kingsey Road site in Thame, Oxfordshire.

Pending planning permission, the club say work is due to commence at the end of next season, with the project being solely funded by a family benefactor.

If the stadium gets the go ahead, Chinnor would have one of the best dedicated rugby grounds in the second tier of English rugby It would put them on a par with Coventry’s Nick Newbold Stadium and Doncaster’s Castle Park, although the initial design does include an athletics runing track around the pitch. Only Worcester’s 12,000-capacity Sixways Stadium would be bigger in the Champ.

It is another step forward for the thriving club, who run four senior teams as well as a full youth setup.

Chinnor won promotion to the Champ in 2024, and have recently secured the serices of much-sought-after Director of Rugby, Nick Easter, on a new one-year deal.

Chinnor Chairman, Nick Stainton, said: “I’m extremely excited to announce on behalf of the main board that work will commence subject to planning approval on a new 5,000-seater covered stadium at the end of next season

“We are lucky to have a family benefactor that is underwriting the whole cost of this scheme that will make the club completely sustainable going forwards, albeit we have always operated with this principle.

“We remain committed to being a whole community club at all levels at the club that we have developed over the last 20 years.

“We are particularly proud that we are enhancing our community side to make further outreaches and overwhelmed that the community have embraced our ambitions.

“The stadium will be available for community use and entertainment for community local community benefit.”

CEO Simon Vickers commented: “This will continue to further our ambitions to always operate at the top level of the league that we are in. Our sustainability will dramatically improve, albeit so will our costs, but we will always at least balance the two whilst investing further into community benefits.

“This may possibly be the most significant infrastructure improvement the Champ has seen for many decades, particularly from a debutant side.

“Nick Easter’s contract has been extended further which will greatly enhance our ability to perform both on and off field. Nick Easter is very keen to assist our ambitions and will be appointed to the main board to help us achieve them.”