While footballers are busy trying to win cups on the field, Harpenden Town supporters can enjoy a fresh cuppa near the pitch now that the club’s new café has opened.

Herts Advertiser: The new home changing rooms at Harpenden Town FCThe new home changing rooms at Harpenden Town FC (Image: Archant)

With a nod to the beautiful game, the aptly named Kicks Café is open to all visitors to Rothamsted Park, following a major clubhouse facelift.

It is part of a £100,000 revamp of the formerly vandalised football club’s facilities, which have recently been transformed behind the skate park at the beauty spot.

Club chairman Roman Motyczak explained that the new-look clubhouse now also boasted ‘great’ changing rooms and new showers.

He added: “It has been a big struggle to get where we are with the clubhouse but the players love the facilities and at last the park has a café for families, those who work out in the park, and dog walkers to enjoy.

“It is the start of a new era for Harpenden Town FC and I know the players have the ambition on the pitch to match the new surroundings. They know we are going places.”

Although Kicks Café has had a ‘quiet’ launch, apparently takings are already on the rise as families discover the place which looks out over the park, and has indoor and outdoor seating, along with a large garden for children to run around in.

The café is staffed by Harpenden teenagers, aged 18, who have just left school and been trained as baristas.

Roman said the aim was to provide a “great venue for refreshments while also raising revenue to help the football club move forward”.

The bulk of the funding for the clubhouse revamp - a grant of £70,000 - has come from the FA, with the remainder provided by local supporters including the Harpenden Trust.

• Harpenden Town plays its first Saturday home game tomorrow (August 15) at 3pm against New Bradwell St Peter.

• Kicks Café is open from 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday and currently between 10am and 2pm on Sunday.