Newark Flowserve

You must have come in a taxi

A1 - Head west on the B6326 (London Rd) towards Newark for 0.8 miles. turn left onto Hawton Lane for 0.5 miles. *The Flowserve works is signed on your LHS. Follow this driveway down to the Car Park, and the Ground is on your LHS.

From Newark - Follow signs for Balderton on the B6326 (London Road) for 1.6 miles. Turn right after the School onto Hawton Lane for 0.5 miles, *then as A1.

A46 - To avoid Newark town Centre, leave the A46 at Farndon, signed for Hawton. On reaching Hawton, turn left onto Hawton Road, then next right onto Grange Road. Bear right, then your next right onto Bowbridge Road, then next left onto Hawton Lane. The flowserve works is signed on your RHS after 0.4 miles.

There are no known daytime services directly serving Flowserve. Lincolnshire Roadcar No.81 & 82 (Newark Bus Station - Balderton). & NCT Pathfinder No.90 Fosseway Flyer (Nottm Beastmarket Hill to Wolfit Avenue, Balderton) & MASS Transit No.55 (Newark - Bingham) drop off about 1 mile to the east. Many of Nottinghamshire's towns and villages have services which run to Newark inc. Retford, Southwell, Worksop & Mansfield. From Nottingham, get the Pathfinder Southwell Sprinter to Newark (Nottm Queens St - Newark Northgate St) or from Lincoln, get the Lincolnshire Roadcar No.87/88 (Lincoln Bus Station - Newark Bus Station) and connect from here.

Newark Northgate - 2.1 miles to the North.

For a map of the location, Click here.

My garden shed is bigger than this

Lowfields has a long history of hosting football in the form of a Club who have changed their name on no less than three separate occasions.

Industrial pump manufacturers, J.Simpson & Company opened business on Hawton Lane in 1870. By 1901, the rapid rise in the popularity of football prompted J Simpson & Co. to form their own works team. The name remained for a few decades, before a company merger resulted in a name change to Worthington Simpson Football Club. As Worthington Simpson, the Club enjoyed some notable success, winning both the Notts Alliance in 1953 & 1966, and also five time winners of the Notts Alliance Senior Cup. However, by 1995, the Club had run into hard times, finding themselves relegated and in genuine danger of going out of business. Fortunately, a new committee stepped in and quickly turned the Club's fortunes around. Promotion soon followed, and it wasn't long before they had three county representatives gracing the Lowfields pitch in the Simmo's yellow & green.

Two name changes followed at the end of the millennium, as the Company changed hands. Briefly known as IDP Newark, followed in 2001, by Newark Flowserve, the name maintained today. The Club though is still affectionately known as 'Simmo's' by the locals and Flowserve still manufacture Worthington Simpson pumps. However, big changes are a foot at Lowfields.

In 2004, after 103 years, the Club took its first step on the Football Association Pyramid by joining the Central Midlands League. Flowserve have in their possession an excellent, large, modern Social Club, which proudly displays the companies name on one side. The clubhouse can also provide cover for up to 40 spectators. Additional features include a traditional wall clock and a smart brass plate on the entrance displaying the words 'Newark Flowserve Sports & Social Club'. The clubhouse is frequently used by the Company's workers, other sporting clubs, as well as the Football Club. Flowserve have one of the finest pitches in the County, and were rewarded in 2004 when their Groundsman won the Notts F.A. Groundsman Of the Year Award. However, the Club recognise that there is still much work to do on the pitchside facilities, if the Club is to continue its rise up the football ladder.

The pitch is surrounded on three sides by woven rope running through wooden stakes, and on the north side by a wooden barrier set back from pitchside. Also on the north side there are two dour, low ceiling, breezeblock dug outs. These have been brightened up somewhat by the Flowserve 'Visitors' and 'Home' signs erected on the fascia. In between these dug outs is the clubs only pitchside covered accommodation for up to half a dozen spectators. Once again, this is a rather dark and dingy breezeblock affair, though some bricks have been removed which at least allows a little sunlight to flow through. To the east, behind the clubhouse, one can clearly see the huge Flowserve works, which serve as timely reminder of the roots of this historic Football Club.

Future Plans

No plans disclosed, though floodlights are the next logical step.