PONTYPOOL RFC look set to make good on their pre-season promise to upgrade the match day experience at the club as £12,000 worth of work is set to begin.

The club have been given the green light for a major revamp of the rooms under the main stand at Pontypool Park.

But in a bitter sweet day, they were dealt a blow as discussions will be needed with Torfaen Council regarding the creation of a new club shop.

Corporate director Ben Jeffreys met with council officials at the ground on Monday where he was delighted to finally be able to get work on the stand.

It is hoped to complete the work before Pooler’s first home game with Bridgend Athletic on September 14, and ties in with the Target 1,000 campaign.

The aim is to get big crowds back in the town and the ground, with 1,000 fans at a game this season and Mr Jeffreys said the new works can only help with that.

“We have always thought this would come to fruition and we’re delighted it’s starting to become a bit more complete now,” he said.

“We felt with some of the improvements we’ve been making with sponsors and in the squad, it was important that after saying what we were going to do, supporters had something tangible to measure that against,” he said.

In relation to Target 1,000, he said: “It’s the same. It’s all well and good telling people something is going to be good, but you have to do something to achieve that too.”

He said the campaign helped build new partnerships in the community and interest in season tickets remained great.

On the shop, Mr Jeffreys described the decision as “ a temporary hold up”.

“It’s disappointing, but there are rules in place and like everybody else we have to abide by them.”

He said if the shop could not be built there would be a marquee selling merchandise until they could get it sorted.

● Rugby Heaven are taking pre-orders on their website for this season’s Pontypool shirts. Go to www.rugby-heaven.co.uk