the same day. Further shops opened on both the west and east side of the retail area including shops like Hobbycraft, Sketchers and Swarovski stores. In July 2019 work was finished on a multiplex building which included indoor activities and a multiscreen Cineworld cinema. While the site itself is currently complete there have been plans submitted to build further next to the site and to improve road access from the A45. Sports and recreation Leisure facilities Rushden has two main leisure facilities, The Pemberton Centre and Splash Pool. Both are managed by Freedom Leisure, as so membership covers both venues. The Pemberton Centre is a large leisure and conference centre including a large hall, conference rooms, sport hall, gym, young person's gym, squash courts and dance studio. The Splash Pool is situated close to the town centre and includes a swimming pool with a learner area, beach area and indoor slide. Football The town's former football club, Rushden Town, merged with nearby Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992 to become Rushden & Diamonds. The new club moved to Nene Park, on the outskirts of Irthlingborough, and played there until going into liquidation in 2011. A new club AFC Rushden & Diamonds was set up in 2011 which has groundshared with Rushden & Higham United at the latter’s Hayden Road ground from the 2017–18 season. This is the same stadium where Rushden Town played until 1992. Junior football is catered for by AFC Rushden & Diamonds Youth which offer football for boys and girls from 4 years of age. Rugby Union Rugby Union is played at Manor Park, the home of Rushden & Higham RUFC. The club was created in October 1951. Over the years the club has played at Chamberlain's Field, near the old Higham railway station, Saffron Meadows, and the John White's ground in Rushden and now plays at Manor Park, Rushden, on pitches rented weekly from the town council. Cricket Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club have 3 senior XI teams in the Northamptonshire Cricket League, and an established Junior Section, who compete in the Higham & District Youth League. Rushden also field a Sunday XI team who play friendly matches in and around the region. Golf Rushden has two golf courses. A 9-hole course south of Rushden called John Whites also houses a driving range. Rushden Golf Club is a larger 18 hole course to the East of Rushden.