A beer garden has been opened and a bench installed at Park Avenue in memory of former player and “community figure”, Robbie Jones.

Mr Jones, who was a “stalwart” on the local football scene and hugely popular locally, died in November 2020.

On Sunday, 30 May, family and friends of former firefighter Mr Jones gathered at Aberystwyth Football Club’s Park Avenue ground for lunch and to unveil a memorial bench and plaque in the club’s new beer garden, that was also opened in memory of the “avid supporter”, former first-team player and reserve team coach.

Mr Jones’ sister, Glenda Brown, said the apt tribute was initially her brother’s idea: “The people who own the hospitality side of the football club approached me to say that they were going to open a beer garden.

“My brother always said it was such a waste not to use the space, and now they have decided to do it in memory of him.

“The bench is positioned facing over the river. And just over the river is the street he grew up on, it’s our childhood place,” Glenda said.

“It’s all quite apt. The position of the beer garden, Robbie couldn’t have wanted it in a better place.”

While the garden is now open to the community, it is still a working progress.

“It’s open now, they opened it about four or five weeks ago, but they keep saying ‘it’s not finished yet’. When people turn up there is just a few benches, it’s just basically a car park at the moment.

“But they’ve got hanging baskets there now, and they’re going to get heaters. Every week you go down there and you can see they’ve added a bit more. In time it will look lovely.”

Glenda added: “Obviously we need to thank Phil and Ruth, the owners. Even though Robbie put the idea in their head, they could have ignored it. So a big thank you to them. It’s nice that they’re going to keep his memory alive.

“I would also love to thank all the family and friends who came to the opening. It went really well, it was a lovely day.”

Owner Ruth Thomas said: “When Robbie would come to games and stuff like that, he always said ‘you need to get some tables and chairs around the back there, its such beautiful spot with the river and such’.

“I just wanted to thank Glenda, her brother and the whole family for their donation to the garden. “It really helped a lot. It’s slowly but surely getting there.”

Ruth added: “A lot of people think it’s for members only, because they think its for people involved in the football club. But it’s another thing entirely. It’s not just a members’ club, it’s for everybody.”