Campaign begins to refresh 'tired' cricket pavilion

Fairford Cricket Club is said to be among the oldest in Gloucestershire

A fundraising campaign has been started to renovate a "tired" cricket pavilion, believed to be among the oldest in the county.

Club chairman Clive Elliott said Fairford Cricket Club pavilion was built shortly after the club was founded in 1899, and had had "bits bolted onto it" since, comparing it to a "Mr Potato Head" toy.

"It's tired, it's leaking and it does need replacing," Mr Elliott said.

The club aims to raise £400k through fundraising events this weekend to build a "cracking" new pavilion.

Mr Elliott told BBC Radio Gloucestershire that committee members and volunteers had been "scrubbing the place up" ahead of the new cricket season, which starts today.

But tidying up the existing pavilion to host sporting fixtures and other local events, was not enough, he said.

"Fairford Cricket Club isn't just the home of Fairford Cricket," Mr Elliott said.

"We're also the home of Fairford Rugby Club, we host the Fairford Festival, and we're the venue for the Fairford Fireworks.

"We've got loads of community groups using us now because our grounds are amazing but our pavilion is not as amazing."

Mr Elliott said he hoped to raise £400k to build a "cracking new pavilion with some good facilities" that can be opened in a few years' time.

"There's been a cricket club on this site since 1889 and the pavilion was built shortly after that," he said.

"With the best will in the world, it's tired.

"It's a bit like a Mr Potato Head of pavilions, there was a little bit, and someone bolted another bit on, and then somebody else bolted another bit on.

"It's a wonderful place but it's tired, it's leaking and it does need replacing.

"We're hoping to get lots of people involved in helping us do that."

The junior club is opening its season at Fairford Cricket Club tonight with a "really lovely family evening", and the senior club's launch is on Saturday.

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