Southampton Coalporters rowing club opens new storage area

Four years ago, Coalporters Amateur Rowing Club based in Northam launched ambitious plans to turn the disused archway under Northam Bridge into a storage area.

The archway was coated in layers of graffiti and was described as a "drug-run" and fly-tipping hotspot.

Now, after 47 months of hard work and raising £80,000 in funds, the storage area is officially open.

• READ MORE: Southampton club's plea to turn 'drug run' archway into new storage area

A photo of the archway under Northam Bridge in 2018. (Image: Daily Echo, Emily Liddell)

The area has been transformed and is now used to store riverboats and other equipment for the club.

Club coach and volunteer Nick Chmarny said the club will now take responsibility for looking after and maintaining the area.

He said: "It's become a really nice area now, and it's for the community.

"We have lots of people from this area come down and start rowing with their kids, the storage gives us a bigger capacity to take the boats out more.

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"It's been a long road, difficult trying to get all the various government bodies ticking off different things and the Covid pandemic on top of that.

Dave Gallagher (L) and Nick Chmarny (R) outside the new storage area under Northam Bridge. (Image: Daily Echo, Emily Liddell)

"I'd say it's taken us to the edge, but now we're here and that's fantastic.

"It's a relief, but it's a fantastic thing for the club. We've also had a complete refurbishment of the club so that kind of ties it all together.

"We're in a really good place now for people to come down and row.

"We've had a lot of support from a lot of people and that really jeers you up a bit, that really keeps you going when things are looking down."

To cover the cost of the building,  Sport England donated £40,000. 

In 2018, the club launched a fundraiser and made £15,000 in just 30 days thanks to generous donations from club members and the community. 

This afternoon, at 3pm, the club is hosting an official opening ceremony with MP Alan Whitehead, local councillors and the Lord Mayor of Southampton, as well as club members and the community who help raise the vital funds.

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