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Sports clubhouse finance for refurbishment, extensions and new builds

How sports clubs fund clubhouse and pavilion refurbishment, changing rooms, extensions and new builds, and how bar income and club structure affect lenders.

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In short

Sports clubhouse finance usually means a term loan, fit-out finance or a secured loan for the building works, with asset finance for bar, kitchen and energy equipment. Many clubs combine this with grants or a governing body loan. Lenders look at who is borrowing, the club's tenure on the site and how bar, function and membership income will repay the debt.

This page is for sports clubs planning work on a clubhouse or pavilion: refurbishing a bar or function room, adding changing rooms, extending, or replacing an old building. It covers cricket, rugby, hockey, bowls, tennis, golf and multi-sport clubs, and the trustees and committees who sign for the borrowing. Smart Funding Solutions is a broker, not a lender: we search a panel of 300+ lenders and arrange facilities from around £10,000 to £500,000+, with larger facilities available in suitable cases. For the wider picture, see our sports club finance hub.

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Funding needs

What clubhouse finance can cover

Bar, kitchen and function room refurbishment

New or refurbished changing rooms, showers and officials' rooms

Extensions, a new storey or a replacement building

Accessible entrances, toilets and lifts

Roof, heating, windows and insulation

Solar panels, heat pumps and LED lighting

Bar and kitchen equipment, EPOS and cellar cooling

Modular or prefabricated changing pavilions

Funding options

Term loans and fit-out finance

Building work cannot be repossessed, so lenders look at the club's income to repay it. A term loan or fit-out finance spreads the cost over several years. An unsecured business loan can suit smaller projects for a club with a steady trading record.

Secured loans

A club that owns its ground can often borrow more, over a longer term, with a secured business loan. The club's rules, the trustees' powers and any CASC conditions on its assets need checking first.

Asset finance for equipment

Kitchen equipment, bar fittings, cellar cooling, EPOS and furniture can often be funded on asset finance, which leaves the term loan for the building itself. Solar panels, heat pumps and batteries can be funded through renewable energy finance, where payments can be weighed against lower bills.

Modular buildings

Some modular changing rooms and pavilions can be taken down and moved. A few lenders will treat them more like equipment than building works, particularly from an established manufacturer. Most modular projects still need groundworks and services, which are funded separately.

Commercial mortgages and refinancing

A club buying its ground and clubhouse from a landlord can look at a commercial mortgage. A club with expensive or short-term borrowing may be able to refinance it as part of a larger project.

Why clubhouses need funding

The clubhouse is where much of a club's money is made. The bar, food, function hire and social membership often pay for the pitches. It is also where the costs pile up: roofs, heating, kitchens, toilets and changing rooms all age, and many club buildings date from an era with different expectations. A tired clubhouse can hold back membership, especially for junior, women's and girls' sections that need suitable changing space.

Grants and governing body funding

Clubhouse projects are often part funded by grants or governing body loans. Cricket clubs can look at the EWCT Interest Free Loan Scheme, which covers buildings such as pavilions and changing rooms. The RFU lists funding for rugby clubs, including a programme for changing rooms and social spaces accessed through the Constituent Bodies. Sport England and the other national sports councils run funds for community projects. Each has its own criteria and usually expects a contribution from the club, so we often look for commercial finance to sit alongside.

The bar and licensing

Lenders will look closely at bar and function income because it often services the debt. A members' club may sell alcohol under a club premises certificate rather than a premises licence, and that can limit sales to non-members and outside events. If your plan depends on more function hire or public trade, check what your licence allows before relying on that income in a forecast. Our bar and pub loans page covers how lenders view licensed trade.

Risks and trade-offs

Building projects overrun. Hold a contingency and agree how any overspend will be funded before work starts. If a grant is pending, check whether the grant body must approve a charge over the land, and whether starting work early affects eligibility. Trustees of an unincorporated club should understand their personal exposure; see our guide to personal guarantees.

Underwriting

What lenders look at

The borrower

the club's structure, who can sign and evidence the borrowing was approved

Tenure

ownership, or a lease running well beyond the loan term

Income

subscriptions, bar and function takings, and how the project will change them

Costs

fixed quotes, a contingency and a realistic build programme

Consents

planning permission and building regulations approval

Checklist

Documents to have ready

Two or three years' accounts and current management accounts
Bar and function income, separated from subscriptions if possible
Contractor quotes, drawings and planning permission
The constitution or articles and minutes approving the project
Title or lease, and details of any grant applied for or awarded

Side by side

Compare your options

How the main business finance structures work. Lenders set their own terms, so treat this as a guide to the questions to ask.

Option	How you repay	Security	Often used for
Unsecured business loan	Fixed instalments, usually monthly	No charge over assets; a personal guarantee is usually required	Growth, stock, tax bills and cash flow
Secured business loan	Fixed instalments, often over a longer term	A charge over property or other assets	Larger sums, property and refinancing
Revolving credit facility	Interest on what you draw; repay and redraw	Varies by lender and case	Recurring or uneven cash flow gaps
Merchant cash advance	A share of future card takings	No charge over assets	Card-taking businesses with uneven months
Asset finance	Regular payments over the life of the asset	The asset being financed	Equipment, vehicles and machinery
Invoice finance	Settled as customers pay their invoices	Your unpaid invoices	Businesses waiting on customer payment

General information only. Every lender has its own criteria, and all finance is subject to status.

Matching clubhouse costs to finance

Cost	Finance that often fits	Why
Refurbishment and extensions	Term loan or fit-out finance	Building works repaid from club income
Replacement clubhouse	Secured loan, grants and reserves	Large, long-life project tied to the land
Bar and kitchen equipment	Asset finance	Removable equipment with a used market
Solar panels and heat pumps	Renewable energy finance	Payments set against energy savings
Modular changing rooms	Asset finance or a term loan	Depends on the structure and supplier
Buying the ground and building	Commercial mortgage	Long term, secured on the property

The broker’s view

How we help with clubhouse finance

We look at the whole project, separate the building works from the equipment, and approach suitable lenders for each part. Where grant or governing body funding is in play, we look for finance that fits around it and its conditions. It is free to enquire; any broker fee is disclosed separately before you proceed.

FAQs

Questions clients ask

How can a sports club fund a new clubhouse?

Most clubs combine reserves, fundraising, grants or a governing body loan with a term loan or secured loan for the balance. A club that owns its ground can usually borrow over a longer term. Start early, because grant decisions can shape the timing of everything else.

Can we finance clubhouse refurbishment without security?

Sometimes. Smaller projects may suit an unsecured loan or fit-out finance for a club with steady accounts, though trustees or officers may be asked for personal guarantees. Larger projects usually need security over the ground.

Can bar and kitchen equipment be financed separately?

Yes. Kitchen equipment, bar fittings, cellar cooling and EPOS can often go on asset finance, secured on the equipment. That can reduce how much the club needs to borrow for the building itself.

Can a sports club finance solar panels on its clubhouse?

Often, yes. Solar panels, batteries and heat pumps can be funded through renewable energy finance, and lenders will want to see the installer's quote and the club's tenure on the building. Some governing body schemes also support energy efficiency projects.

Do lenders count bar income when assessing a club?

Yes, and for many clubs it is the main source of repayment. Lenders will want to see takings over several years, so separate bar and function income in your accounts if you can. They may also ask what your licence allows.

Can a leased clubhouse be refurbished on finance?

Yes, if the lease runs well beyond the finance term. A short lease limits what lenders will offer, so some clubs extend the lease with their landlord or council before applying.

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