So, having watched and listened closely to the interview with Derek Bowden, I can only muse at how the Club appear even further away than six years ago at the inception of this vanity project.
He talks about the completion of the pavilion as though it's a half finished project - it may come as a shock to him that the current pavilion was constructed circa 1970!
He continues on to state [the] pavilion, "will be redesigned to ensure we do it without taking on any debt". What?
Back in the day, DE and his cohorts were crowing about how the lease/sale of the Clubs' land would encompass the construction of a sparkly new pavilion - (although one loosely based on the twenty-year old design at Durham's Riverside), whilst the Club made a tidy profit. Of course, his successor failed to touch on or explain that aspect. Although, such was the deference of the interviewer, sounding as though he was constantly checking his script to ensure no difficult questions were asked....or 'indeed' answered. Due to Bowden's clip on microphone being located closer to his stomach than his mouth, it is varyingly inaudible. (Knowing ECCC, probably a deliberate move - or more likely the typical amateurism we're all used to!)
He bizarrely mentions the members consultation; 'to decide what we (the Club, as opposed to the mere member) will include with the pavilion, although we've already done that with our staff'. ??
As I have stated previously, until the Club open up and engage, then there is little point in attending this muddled fiasco. Surely, if designs are being retraced and architects are still providing options then the members should be included, collaboratively with this process.....Question is why isn't this the case?
DB concludes that it will be 'a perfectly adequate pavilion for a Cat. C cricket ground'. Reading between the lines it will be a budget construction, with the paying member/spectator coming a poor last to corporate and staff requirements. I envisage cramped seating provision with knee-scrunchingly tight leg room to make up for the seats that will be lost at the River End. (Not asked or mentioned here, of course.....)
