Penarth Rugby Football Club was left devastated after an electrical fire gutted its clubhouse in December, destroying treasured memorabilia and historic trophies that spanned generations.
The fire shocked Wales, with the Seasiders being a long-established rugby club holding a proud place in Welsh rugby history, with roots stretching back to the late 19th century.
One of the standout fundraising efforts in the town came from The Pilot pub on Paget Road, where a series of events including a special “Pudding at the Pilot” evening brought the community together and raised thousands of pounds for the club’s restoration project.
The pub has now revealed it has so far raised £1,036.
Owners Serge Luceau and Francoise Commeureuc-Cherot said: “Anything we can do to help the club we will do.
“We are delighted to present the club with this money, we thank our customers for helping support the club, and we hope the money goes someway to assist bringing the club back to its former glories.”
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Crews from Penarth, Barry and Cardiff Central battled the flames when the fire broke out for nearly three hours. No injuries were reported.
The club has been through a substantial period of mourning and rebuild and in early February the clubhouse partially reopened for the Six Nations rugby season, providing a much-needed social hub for fans to watch Wales compete.
Despite parts of the building still needing repair, supporters packed in to share pints and bacon butties while cheering on Wales.
The club was founded around 1879–1880 by brothers Cyril and Llewellyn Batchelor, sons of Cardiff Liberal politician John Batchelor. The team originally played under the name “Batchelor XV”, reflecting its family beginnings and strong local connections. Rugby was rapidly growing in popularity across Wales at the time, and the new side quickly became part of that expanding sporting landscape.
In 1882, the Batchelor XV merged with another local team, the Penarth Dreadnoughts. Following the merger, the club adopted the name Penarth Football Club, a title it would later refine to Penarth Rugby Football Club, or Penarth RFC, as it is known today.
The club’s early matches were played on a field that is now occupied by All Saints Church in Penarth. As the club developed and the game grew, it relocated in 1891 to land on Stanwell Road owned by the Earl of Plymouth, establishing a more permanent home and laying foundations for future generations.
