A town council has sparked anger by refusing to make an exception and allow a local rugby club to hold a family fun day in memory of its late president and chairman who died during lockdown. Pencoed RFC has an agreement with Pencoed Town Council for the use of its pitches and changing rooms, which the town council leases from Bridgend County Borough Council.
The rugby club said it asked for the use of the pitches on Boxing Day for a family touch rugby event in memory of Mal Summers, who was the club's president for eight years and its chairman for 21. But the council responded by saying that remedial work needed to be carried out on the pitch over the Christmas period and that the family day couldn't go ahead - adding that it had previously been told by the club that there were no planned fixtures over the Christmas period.
Julian Davies, the club's volunteer treasurer, said: "We’re trying to make it very clear - this is something for the community to commemorate the loss of a very prominent individual. Mal Summers was both president and chairman of the club, and very influential in both its progression and community - someone who was very well respected.
