Ground development

[spirali]

Well, I started watching in the late 70s and also remember all that - except maybe the buckets: I certainly do remember those at Ilford, but can't recall them at Chelmsford. The success of the 80s was accompanied by an upgrading of the ground (new scoreboard, TP stand etc)... I just find it odd that nothing much has changed since - it all looks so similar that I walk in and half expect to see JK Lever and Kenny McEwan warming up on the outfield.

OK, maybe 'decay' is harsh.. let's say 'faded'.

[essexfan548]

All the windows in the pavilion are new and the old carpet has gone. The Honours Boards have been added to this year and the photographs updated.

I agree the toilets need replacing but I remember the buckets too ... the loos at some big grounds are pretty poor too unless you venture into the pavilion.

I still prefer the atmosphere at Chelmsford to somewhere like the Ageas Bowl.

[Slogger]

Well, I started watching in the late 70s and also remember all that - except maybe the buckets: I certainly do remember those at Ilford, but can't recall them at Chelmsford. The success of the 80s was accompanied by an upgrading of the ground (new scoreboard, TP stand etc)... I just find it odd that nothing much has changed since - it all looks so similar that I walk in and half expect to see JK Lever and Kenny McEwan warming up on the outfield.

OK, maybe 'decay' is harsh.. let's say 'faded'.

Looking at some of the photos in the Essex Cricket Memories book and some of the online footage of "glory years" games I was struck by how similar the ground looked. No floodlights then of course, and the Hayes Close end was narrower and benefited from the shade of some trees (better for it too). The in the 1980s development was built on the back of big crowds and strong finances. I can remember Mr Edwards being criticised at an AGM for having too much of the £3m reserves invested in government stock rather than in the blue chip market!

Now I'm a simple soul but wondered couldn't we have dipped into the reserves to build a new pavilion and broadly leave the rest of the ground alone and not gone in for a grandiose redevelopment?

[Andy]

Well, I started watching in the late 70s and also remember all that - except maybe the buckets: I certainly do remember those at Ilford, but can't recall them at Chelmsford. The success of the 80s was accompanied by an upgrading of the ground (new scoreboard, TP stand etc)... I just find it odd that nothing much has changed since - it all looks so similar that I walk in and half expect to see JK Lever and Kenny McEwan warming up on the outfield.

OK, maybe 'decay' is harsh.. let's say 'faded'.

Now I'm a simple soul but wondered couldn't we have dipped into the reserves to build a new pavilion and broadly leave the rest of the ground alone and not gone in for a grandiose redevelopment?

The ground development was a going through the motions exercise.  IMHO.

[Valentines Park]

The ground development was a going through the motions exercise. 

Would that it were we might have got new bogs. 

[Andy]

The ground development was a going through the motions exercise. 

Would that it were we might have got new bogs. 

Nope that explains the quality (?!) of the beer on offer.

[mawallace]

In this week's cricketer DerekPringle writes about Wednesday night and says that the floodlights are not that good and are set to be replaced.  That's the first I have heard of this

[Mog]

I'd be interested to know what contributors here would like to see, if any ground upgrade were to take place at the Chelmsford County Cricket Ground?
Personally, I know the way ECCC operate, their legendary insularity, intransigence and lack of imagination, and would fully expect that any announcement they may make would just re-hash the East vanity plan.

Some thoughts....
What would you like to see, in terms of facilities/features from a spectating perspective, both those who prefer red-ball and those who attend white-ball versions?

*Is it viable to redevelop the ground on its current footprint?
*What area(s) require the most pressing attention?

*Should ECCC sell the site and relocate to a new site? (Preferably not the appalling Garon Park).

[Daren Mootoo]

I don't smell an air of decay at the ECG and I've been attending for 45 years+. I remember the bucket in a tent that acted as the public toilet. I remember the harsh (on the posterior) wooden 'terracing'. I remember the main/only scoreboard being the mobile scoring van last used at Colchester during festival week. I remember when the Tom Pearce stand didn't exist.

True that the pavilion side of the ground needs upgrading. We should crowd fund the necessary cash. There must be some well upholstered Essex boys out there.

 A few years ago, Mr. East invited me to lunch and over a rather good red, explained to me his plans. I was rather sceptical and couldn't quite see the need for so many flats and also the developer's idea to start at the car park, rather than at the scoreboard, as usually you start developing at the furthest part of the plot, then work your way back out. He was looking for an eye-watering £85 million at the time, which also seemed excessive. However, I did sound out a few of my City associates and got fair amount of interest in raising a sizeable amount. Gooch, Cook, Bopara et al were all very attractive marketing tools at the time! East also encouraged me to join the general committee at the time to get further involved. Sadly, before anything could be realised, David East departed for the Middle East and an alternative funding plan was devised. I was rejected by the membership (and quite aggressively by one or two committee members) from joining the committee, so I walked away. I still take tables at all Essex functions and fundraisers and spend my own money at auctions, where I know the money goes directly to help the club. For my part, I agree with other posts here that a redevelopment would realistically see a rebuilt pavilion, with top player facilities and of course modern conveniences for members. The corporate hospitality offering just needs an upgrade to bring it in line with what other venues offer, in order to attract the highly lucrative corporate £. Plans for utilitarian blocks of flats and an £85 million budget were always far fetched, but I think the club still sees the need to update, just under more realistic circumstances. 

[Andy]

Daren, I never thought I'd see "sadly" and "David East departed" in the same sentence. 

Do you think that his plan was ever a serious proposition?  Or to be more precise, was it just a wind-up to make it look to ECB like we were following their dictats?

[Daren Mootoo]

Andy, as it was proposed to me, the numbers didn't stack up. Nor, to me, the plan of the development, which seemed to totally disregard the needs for Essex as a cricket club. ECB or not, there was and still is a desire to be keeping up with the times an when you look at other grounds around the circuit and not just the test venues, you can see big efforts are being made to improve facilities for players and spectators alike.

[Andy]

Daren thanks for this. I've used the conference facilities at Old Trafford before they built The Point and rebuilt the old pavilion. At the time I felt OT wasn't that much better than Chelmsford. Of course there is a huge gap now. However they have space for these things and we don't.

 Seems that the thinking is always based on the largest grounds of the test hosting clubs. I think we either need to move or go for a workable smaller plan. However the ECB always thinks big, but instead of thinking realistically.

[essexfan548]

E-mail received today:
"To all Members of Essex County Cricket Club,
 
I would like to take this opportunity to bring you up to date with the current status on the Ground Development at Chelmsford.
 
As you know we successfully completed the first phase of the Ground Development with MCD following the construction and sale of the Century House in 2015. Since then, despite giving MCD two extensions of time, MCD have been unable to provide us with a proposal for the development of the rest of the ground that was in line with the arrangements the Committee had previously agreed with them. Accordingly, 30 months after the completion of Century House, the agreement with MCD has come to an end and we have decided not to give MCD any further extensions of time.
 
In the meantime, we are looking at other opportunities to improve our facilities and will keep you updated as and when the Committee has something to report.
 
Your understanding and support is very much appreciated.
 
Regards,
 
John Faragher
Chairman
Essex County Cricket Club"

[nat]

in other words...
...
there's no news.

[Postman]

Did anyone go to last night's Q and A session and if so could they update us re development and anything else mentioned?