Post by Wicked Cricket on Jul 7, 2015 12:59:02 GMT
Somerset CCC: Taunton: Sunday July 5th (Part 1)
_______________________________________________________________
I took in the opening Championship day of the Somerset game as part of a 4 day West Country holiday.
There was a good sprinkling of Sussex supporters attending including Richard Barrow and David Bowden (Club hierarchy); Jon Filby
and Simon Stewart (Inner Circle); and Flashblade, Coolbox and Coverpoint (Sussex CCC Forum). This was my first visit to Taunton
since a boy and the immediate experience is of the on-going ground redevelopment.
The club have ambitious plans to be a Category B ODI venue, and the work first hatched back in 2005 when Richard Gould took charge
is close to completion. The club are increasing the capacity to 10,000+ via several recently built stands alongside their most ambitious
£3.8m project which includes a section for corporate hospitality boxes, a media centre, a large bar and entertainment area and spectacular
roof top viewing. This will be completed early next year and represents phase 4 of their 7-year redevelopment programme.
At present, the media reside in a two-tiered portacabin alongside the scorers and the phase 4 new stand looks, not surprisingly, more-like
a building site.
CEO Guy Lavender, who joined Somerset in 2011 and has pushed forward Gould’s original vision with expertise and vigour, has stated he wants
Somerset to become the West Country’s leading ODI ground and to take on the might of Glamorgan’s ‘The Swalec’ as well as Gloucestershire’s
Bristol Ground. There is no reason why the club can’t succeed.
Investment for this ambitious redevelopment has come from many sources including the recent ECB £1m soft loan and a property deal.
During an interview with Guy Lavender last year he explained to me that a Category B ground requires a minimum 15,000 capacity.
The club aim to increase their permanent seating to 11,000 with the rest being temporary.
Guy Lavender
“We are not chasing rainbows,” he said. “Everything we have done so far has been low-risk financially. We have not put the club into crippling debt.
We believe we are best-equipped to deliver smaller ODIs and once phase 4 is complete we are ready.”
The ECB in recognition of the club’s hard work has awarded Somerset an England ODI against South Africa in 2017 and has selected Taunton as one
of the host venues for the 2019 'ICC Cricket World Cup' where the ground will stage three matches during the competition.
“The elegance of our plan is that for the supporter it is a win-win,” continued Lavender. “Not only can they watch future England matches but domestic
games can be viewed in greatly improved surroundings.”
Phase 4 of the Ground Redevelopment
Meanwhile, the retirement/sheltered housing ‘Pegasus Court’ apartment block above the ‘Somerset Stand’ has been a great success and it blends in well
with the ground.
First constructed in 2009, there are 64 one, two and a few three bedroom flats with many overlooking the cricket ground. Prices range from between
£240,000 and £425,000. The club gained a large capital receipt from the property developer which allowed them to then go-ahead with the more recent
ground refurbishments. Then, there are the consistent £300,000 annual receipts from local parking (£160k) and rental properties (£140k) which is the
envy of other non-TMGs.
pegasuscourt-taunton.co.uk/development/
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52688201.html
Pegasus Court
Therefore, Somerset CCC are in a strong position financially moving forward and their prudent investments and ambitious vision could well help them
become one of the leading county grounds of the future.
_______________________________________________________________
I took in the opening Championship day of the Somerset game as part of a 4 day West Country holiday.
There was a good sprinkling of Sussex supporters attending including Richard Barrow and David Bowden (Club hierarchy); Jon Filby
and Simon Stewart (Inner Circle); and Flashblade, Coolbox and Coverpoint (Sussex CCC Forum). This was my first visit to Taunton
since a boy and the immediate experience is of the on-going ground redevelopment.
The club have ambitious plans to be a Category B ODI venue, and the work first hatched back in 2005 when Richard Gould took charge
is close to completion. The club are increasing the capacity to 10,000+ via several recently built stands alongside their most ambitious
£3.8m project which includes a section for corporate hospitality boxes, a media centre, a large bar and entertainment area and spectacular
roof top viewing. This will be completed early next year and represents phase 4 of their 7-year redevelopment programme.
At present, the media reside in a two-tiered portacabin alongside the scorers and the phase 4 new stand looks, not surprisingly, more-like
a building site.
CEO Guy Lavender, who joined Somerset in 2011 and has pushed forward Gould’s original vision with expertise and vigour, has stated he wants
Somerset to become the West Country’s leading ODI ground and to take on the might of Glamorgan’s ‘The Swalec’ as well as Gloucestershire’s
Bristol Ground. There is no reason why the club can’t succeed.
Investment for this ambitious redevelopment has come from many sources including the recent ECB £1m soft loan and a property deal.
During an interview with Guy Lavender last year he explained to me that a Category B ground requires a minimum 15,000 capacity.
The club aim to increase their permanent seating to 11,000 with the rest being temporary.
Guy Lavender
“We are not chasing rainbows,” he said. “Everything we have done so far has been low-risk financially. We have not put the club into crippling debt.
We believe we are best-equipped to deliver smaller ODIs and once phase 4 is complete we are ready.”
The ECB in recognition of the club’s hard work has awarded Somerset an England ODI against South Africa in 2017 and has selected Taunton as one
of the host venues for the 2019 'ICC Cricket World Cup' where the ground will stage three matches during the competition.
“The elegance of our plan is that for the supporter it is a win-win,” continued Lavender. “Not only can they watch future England matches but domestic
games can be viewed in greatly improved surroundings.”
Phase 4 of the Ground Redevelopment
Meanwhile, the retirement/sheltered housing ‘Pegasus Court’ apartment block above the ‘Somerset Stand’ has been a great success and it blends in well
with the ground.
First constructed in 2009, there are 64 one, two and a few three bedroom flats with many overlooking the cricket ground. Prices range from between
£240,000 and £425,000. The club gained a large capital receipt from the property developer which allowed them to then go-ahead with the more recent
ground refurbishments. Then, there are the consistent £300,000 annual receipts from local parking (£160k) and rental properties (£140k) which is the
envy of other non-TMGs.
pegasuscourt-taunton.co.uk/development/
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52688201.html
Pegasus Court
Therefore, Somerset CCC are in a strong position financially moving forward and their prudent investments and ambitious vision could well help them
become one of the leading county grounds of the future.