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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Stuart Wilson

Ayr United's Somerset Hub nears completion as fans gear up for new era

Ayr United's new state-of-the-art fan facility is to open within weeks, club chiefs have confirmed.

The Somerset Hub is on track to welcome supporters by the end of November.

A long awaited social club will form the anchor point of the new-build, along with a new retail store and office space.

And club chairman, David Smith, insists fans will reap the rewards of having a new place to call home.

He told the Ayrshire Post: "When I took over, this project was definitely right up there among my top priorities.

"The reality is that everyone else has a social club - you go in before the game, have a beer and it's just a far better fan experience.

"All these other clubs are making money from them and we haven't been, so that needed to change.

"Our current offices and shop are also done, they've been here around 30 years and were never designed to last that long.

David Smith and project chief Kenny Blair outside the new Hub (Tony Nicoletti Daily Record)

"So it goes back to that idea of building the right environment and you'll get the right calibre of person to come and work, play or invest here."

The new Hub, which has been funded from the chairman's own pocket, will boast its own beer garden in due course and have capacity for around 130 supporters on matchday.

Access will be open to both home and away fans.

The social club will initially open four nights per week between Thursdays and Sundays, with scope for use by the community at other times.

The beer garden will be added to the Hub (Ayr United)

Smith confirmed: "We're happy to listen to ideas and whether it be the club, the Academy or the wider community, the Hub will be there as an option for people to use."

And its bar will carry the name of 'Cameron's' - honouring former chairman, Lachlan, and his late father Donald, both stalwarts of the club's boardroom.

Smith added: "We felt that was the right thing to do to acknowledge their contribution down the years and it should be a really nice touch."

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