Range Extension
Two phases of major range work in 2020 and 2021, plus a 24.15 kWp solar installation in 2023, transformed our facilities into one of the best-equipped target shooting venues in the South West.
Following the merger of the four founding clubs in 2018, Pinhoe TSC committed to investing in the Langaton Lane site. Two consecutive build phases — Scott Langley range in 2020 and Pinnbrook ranges in 2021 — modernised the indoor facilities, and a substantial solar PV installation in 2023 made the club significantly more energy-self-sufficient.
Phase 1 — Scott Langley Range (2020)
The Scott Langley range was scoped for a major upgrade in early 2020: full electrical rewiring (capacity raised from 30A to 100A), LED lighting, a new HVAC climate-control system, acoustic improvements, and a refurbished firing line with custom benches. Total budget: £85,000, funded through grants, member contributions, and club reserves.
Demolition began on 2 March 2020. Two weeks later, on 16 March, the national COVID-19 lockdown was announced and contractors downed tools. The range sat partially demolished while the committee assessed options over an emergency Zoom meeting.
The decision was made to continue. Work resumed mid-April under reduced-crew COVID protocols, and members stepped up — painting, cleaning, basic carpentry, all done by volunteers eager to keep the project moving. Major milestones followed: electrical rewiring complete and certified in June, HVAC installed in September, acoustic panels in late September, custom firing-line benches in October.
The range officially reopened on 5 December 2020, with a COVID-safe ribbon-cutting attended by committee members, donors, and key volunteers.
Final tally: nine months, £92,000 (slightly over budget due to material price increases and pandemic delays — covered by additional member donations), 300+ volunteer hours.
Phase 2 — Pinnbrook Left & Right (2021)
With Scott Langley complete, attention turned to the twin Pinnbrook ranges — the heart of traditional target shooting at Pinhoe. Both 1980s-build, both needing modernisation while preserving their classic character.
Pinnbrook Left (prone rifle): professional shooting mats, optimised low-glare lighting suitable for prone, ventilation upgrade, fresh decoration.
Pinnbrook Right (multi-purpose, primarily benchrest): complete refurbishment — full ballistic rubber backstop replacement, LED lighting, HVAC, modular target frames suitable for multiple disciplines, firing-line improvements, full redecoration.
Funding came from a successful £30,000 Sport England grant, £20,000 from club reserves, and a member fundraising campaign that raised £18,000 in its first week — including an anonymous £5,000 donation. Total project: £65,000 budgeted.
Both ranges closed on 28 February 2021 for six months of work. Highlights included installing a modern ballistic rubber backstop in Pinnbrook Right (35-year+ design life), running new electrical cables to all five firing points in Pinnbrook Left, and installing professional-grade prone shooting mats with non-slip backing.
The grand reopening on 4 September 2021 was attended by over 80 members, local councillors, and a Sport England representative. The first competition on the renovated Pinnbrook Left — the club championship prone rifle event — drew 32 competitors and saw notably higher scores than the previous year.
Final tally: seven months, £63,000 (£2,000 under budget — savings via volunteer labour and bulk purchasing leveraged from the 2020 project), 450+ volunteer hours.
Solar installation (2023)
In March 2023 a 24.15 kWp solar PV installation was completed on the Scott Langley range roof. The system generates a substantial portion of the club’s electricity and meaningfully reduces the operating cost of the climate-controlled ranges. See Solar & Sustainability for the technical detail.
What it means today
Three projects in three years have left Pinhoe with:
- Modern climate-controlled indoor ranges across all three indoor halls
- LED lighting tuned to each discipline (low-glare prone in Pinnbrook Left, bright multi-purpose elsewhere)
- A 35-year+ ballistic backstop in Pinnbrook Right, ready for decades of multi-discipline use
- Professional shooting mats, ergonomic firing benches, modular target frames
- Significant solar generation reducing running costs
- Consistent 100A electrical capacity across the site
These improvements position Pinhoe to host regional competitions and to offer member facilities that, in the words of Sport England’s representative at the 2021 reopening, “rival those at national training centres”.
Acknowledgements
Three years of major work were possible because of:
- Sport England — for the 2021 grant
- Devon Build Ltd — for delivering quality work across both projects
- Members who donated financially — including several substantial life-member contributions
- The 750+ volunteer hours put in across both builds — painting, clearing, cataloguing, helping wherever needed
- The committee and project leads who kept both phases on time, on budget (or close enough), and through a global pandemic
Club information · Our history · Our range · Solar & sustainability