THE LATE Tavistock RFC stalwart Pete Garland has had his club’s revamped bar named after him for the second time, thanks to a cash grant from West Devon Borough Council.

Pete, who was described as the club’s heart, had the Sandy Park bar named in his memory after he died suddenly in 2016.

But now the former secretary’s bar has been refitted, thanks to a £14,000 cash injection provided by the council from a pot worth more than £38,000, which was shared out between clubs in Tavistock and Okehampton.

Tavistock RFC spokesman and player-coach Hammy Kerswell said the bar had been rededicated in Pete’s name in a special ceremony, attended by his widow Jackie and daughter Lisa, along with club president Martin Griffiths.

He said: ‘Pete died five years ago and it was decided to name the club’s bar after him. At the time, it didn’t receive a full makeover, but the money from the council enabled us to do it properly and it looks brilliant. We were able to get Jackie up to the club to cut the ribbon to declare it officially open, which was great.’

He added: ‘Pete was always involved in things like carrying the sponge on the sidelines during games, running the bar and anything else he could do. He was just thoroughly involved in the club.’

Hammy said the club’s changing rooms had been revamped and said: ‘It’s all looking very good. The club has had a whole makeover and it’s fair to say it is something that was needed.

‘We have been very lucky in getting a grant and a lot of club members have been putting a lot of time and effort into it.’

Back in 2016, then Tavistock chairman Bob Boreham said Pete had ‘been at the heart of our club for more years than I can remember and was nearly always the first person who greeted you the moment you entered the premises, whether you were a visiting team, a supporter, a referee, a new player or a parent of a potential mini or junior player making first contact with the club’.

The latest round of Section 106 money came from developers as their cash contribution towards community facilities after receiving planning permission to build new homes in Tavistock and Okehampton.

Other clubs and organisations to receive a share of the Section 106 pot were Tavistock Community Football Club, who were given £4,600 for pitch maintenance and goal netting, and Tavistock College, who got £2,280 towards replacement netting above the fencing on their all-weather pitch.

In Okehampton, the Ockment Centre received £4,150 for their project to provide replacement and additional outside furniture, to include wheelchair access recycled picnic benches in their garden.

Meanwhile Okehampton Community Garden were awarded £570 for their project to buy storage shelves and lockers for equipment for well-being and outdoor activities and for people to keep personal belongings in.

Okehampton Town Council received £5,000 towards the £16,000 project to replace the zip wire in Simmons Park and Okehampton Community and Recreation Association (OCRA) were given £8,000 towards their £16,000 project to rejuvenate the all-weather pitch at Okehampton College.