Best Bar None
Gainsborough Flooring is passionate about working with the local community and has been closely associated with Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Club for many years, writes Meena McDonald. Photography: Andy Tighe
Alongside sponsoring some of Preston Grasshoppers’ flagship events such as Hopfest, their annual gin and beer festival and their Ladies Day events, Gainsborough Flooring’s Contracts Manager, Eddy Brown, also plays in the club’s veterans team!
Over the years the Gainsborough team has installed much of the flooring around the popular club and pre-Covid installed Polyflor’s Expona Flow and Forest fx in the bar area of the main room. This flooring collection encompasses beautifully replicated wood designs with intricate grains and natural colourways with striking abstract effects in a practical and durable vinyl sheet format. They have been specifically developed for very heavy commercial installations in the leisure sector as well as education, healthcare, office and retail environments.
With Covid restrictions in place, the sports club, which not only hosts rugby matches but also a range of other sporting activities and social clubs, wasn’t able to operate. The resourceful team instead chose to utilise their facilities to support the local community and help the battle against Covid by becoming an NHS Vaccination Centre. With a substantial throughput of people, the new flooring certainly proved its hardwearing capabilities.
More recently the rugby club has undertaken a major refurbishment project in the Wainwright Bar, to be renamed The 1869 Bar celebrating the history of the Hoppers. Gainsborough Flooring were commissioned to install new flooring to the contemporary bar area aimed at nearby residents as well as visitors and members on match days.
The club opted for Calderdale’s Expression Spirit, a stylish pattern with a rich palette, providing the perfect statement carpet. It’s also excellent at dampening sound, which makes it an ideal choice in spacious areas such as the bar where groups of people congregate.
Vicky Brown, Managing Director of Gainsborough Flooring commented: “Customer satisfaction is a key part of our service and we have so many customers who come back to us time after time, as well as recommend us to colleagues, family and friends. We’ve built some incredible relationships over the years with a considerable number of commercial and residential customers across the region. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Preston Grasshoppers and their members for all their support over the years.”
The 1869 Bar, along with the ever-popular pitch-side Terrace Bar, will focus on the whole community, welcoming families, friends, larger groups plus those partaking in club sports.
If you’d like to see Gainsborough’s installations pop along to Preston Grasshoppers or you can visit the extensive showroom to view the stunning range of flooring available.
Gainsborough Flooring
26 Heatley Street, Preston PR1 2XB
01772 250682
vicky@gainsboroughflooring.co.uk
gainsboroughflooring.co.uk
