Englefield Green Cricket Club – pavilion development plan

 

Background

​

Englefield Green cricket club was formed in 1879 but cricket has been played on Englefield Green for at least 100 years before that.  Traditionally the players changed in the Barley Mow pub but in 1956 a pavilion was built using funds raised from public subscription – including, famously, a donation from Marilyn Monroe who was living in the area while making a film.

In those days cricket was played on the southern end of the Green and the pavilion was built to face the cricket.  Following the building of the children’s playground and a subsequent safety assessment the cricket pitch was moved to the northern end of the Green making it impossible for supporters and scorers to watch the cricket from inside the pavilion.

 

Project aims

 

Englefield Green Cricket Club has initiated a project to develop the current pavilion.  The aims of the project are to:

• to completely refurbish the pavilion, including an upgrade to the kitchen,  to make it more attractive for other community group uses;

• to reconfigure the pavilion’s internal arrangements so that cricket can be viewed from inside and from the veranda;

• to improve access into, and inside, the building;

• to upgrade the heating, lighting and ventilation so as to make the building environmentally sound;

• to create a building that is an all-year-round community facility.

 

Community benefits

 

The village green with a cricket pavilion is a quintessential feature of any English village.  As such the Englefield Green cricket club pavilion is a community asset.  Its prime current use is for cricket – for adults and for a thriving junior section – and is generally only open when cricket is played.  It is also occasionally used for private events in the summer and for meetings of, for example, the village fair committee.

The pavilion currently consists of changing rooms, showers, toilets, a bar and kitchen and an open lounge area.  We will reconfigure the space and improve access. This will make it more attractive for other uses such as playgroups, exercise groups and meetings and thereby be more likely to be used by the village.  In addition, with an upgraded kitchen facility we would be able to provide café type drinks and snacks for the local community using the green and families using the adjacent children’s playground.

Extending opening times to all year round, this project aims to bring the cricket pavilion fully into the life of the village.

 

Issues and opportunities

 

The redevelopment process will be conducted in the most sustainable way as possible.  Solar panels, double glazing, and the use of local firms and products wherever possible will all contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. In the process of developing and refining the project consideration will be given to issues and opportunities such as:

• the trees growing alongside the pavilion;

• the addition of a sloping roof to the adjoining public conveniences to improve security and appearance;

• improved access to and use of the loft space possibly to include greater storage and a viewing area;

• upgrade the shed to include two areas one for machinery and the other for general storage;

• landscaping the surrounding area.

 

Funding and timescale

 

An application has been made to 'Your fund Surrey'.  However it is unlikely that funding sufficient to finance the whole project will be obtained in the short term.  Plans are being made to phase the work and the precise way forward will be determined by the results of consultation in the community.