Tunbridge Wells suffer catastrophic clubhouse fire : This is a dark day, in a dark week for those associated with Tunbridge Wells Football Club

TUNBRIDGE WELLS have indicated that an electric fault caused a catastrophic fire inside their clubhouse at Culverden Stadium on Thursday evening.

Kent Fire and Rescue were called to the stadium at 21:08 and sent four appliances to attend the scene and worked until 23:51 to extinguish the fire at the stadium of the ninth-tier Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division club.  



Inspection of the clubhouse by board members revealed a scene of almost complete destruction (photo, above, courtesy of Tunbridge Wells Football Club).  It was immediately evident that the clubhouse would be unusable for the foreseeable future.

The club have confirmed that tomorrow’s League game in Chatham against Welling Town will go ahead, but they will seek to postpone their home game against Erith & Belvedere next Tuesday, 17 January 2023.

A club statement said: “Work has been ongoing through the course of today to secure the site.  Despite this work, the clubhouse is in a dangerous state and we would urge supporters and members of the public to avoid the building footprint and the immediate vicinity.

“The club cannot accept responsibility for anyone trying to access these areas.

“Kent Fire and Rescue were unable to provide a definitive cause for the fire, although preliminary indications suggest the blaze was caused by an electrical fault. Investigations are continuing.  The club is also working to understand the extent of any recoverable losses.

“This is a dark day, in a dark week for those associated with Tunbridge Wells Football Club.  Thankfully, nobody was injured by this catastrophic fire.

“The club is incredibly grateful for the kind offers of support and assistance from across the football family and the wider community. 

“We will need that support over the coming days, weeks and months. The club will be putting in place fund raising measures, details of which will be communicated in due course.”

Meanwhile, the 75-year-old Tunbridge Wells supporter who was hit by a vehicle following last Saturday's goal-less draw at home to Erith Town, has sadly passed away.

There will be a minutes silence before tomorrow's game and Tunbridge Wells' supporters will be paying their own tribute by having a minutes applause in the 75th minute to pay tribute to the man who never came home from Culverden Stadium.