A new clubhouse
for Claygate...
...and a new
community resource

CRGT is an enterprising initiative between Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) and the community of Claygate.

It was set up in 1998 with the object of managing the Claygate Recreation Ground. To cover the cost of ground and clubhouse maintenance the CRGT is paid an annual sum as well as collecting fees from users of the facilities. These local organisations are part of the CRGT which is registered as a charity:

• Claygate Parish Council
  
• Claygate Cricket Club
  
• Claygate Royals Football Club
  
• Claygate Flower Show
  
• Claygate Youth Club
  
• Elmbridge Borough Council
  
• Claygate Church of England

Some of recent work undertaken by CRGT on behalf of local organisations has been improvements to the maintenance and drainage of the football pitches and the hedges and woodland area. Claygate Cricket Club in particular has been promoting the need for a new clubhouse for many years and are prime movers in this proposal.

Claygate Cricket Club – nearly 125 years of history!

Claygate Cricket Club (CCC) started life 124 years ago. Only eight years previously England had played Australia in the first ‘Ashes’ test match!

In 1885 cricketers still wore spots or stripes on their shirts, and the club became established thanks to the energetic Honourable Fitzalan Foley as President with ‘Loseberry’ as the first home ground. Local press reports described the club as one of the ‘strongest village combinations in the country’. Some journalistic licence may have been involved! Claygate Cricket Club has played on Claygate’s Recreation Ground since 1935. It is distinctive in that it has two large mature oak trees within the outfield, for which there are particular local rules! CCC will be celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2010 which is an incentive to help advance the proposals for a new clubhouse and use the celebration as a fund raising opportunity. The club has a strong community relationship and is proud of its wide diversity of players in terms of incomes, age and ethnicity. The club runs two Saturday, two Sunday and a mid-week adult team. The two Saturday teams play in the Surrey Downs League. The youth sections are very strong with Kwik cricket on Sunday mornings and colts teams which compete in the West Surrey Youth Cricket League at ages 10-15. The Club also has an active coaching development programme. The club has participated in club/schools partnerships by running cricket coaching sessions at Claygate Primary School and has held schools cricket competitions in partnership with Elmbridge for the last two years. Claygate also runs a cricket week at the end of July and has organised very successful international tours every other year since 1995. Several Claygate CC members are trustees of CRGT and actively participate in the management of the Recreation Ground. CRGT has assurance from EBC that the lease can be renewed to a 25 year basis, to support funding for a new clubhouse. CRGT and Claygate CC have agreed that for the purposes of this clubhouse development, they will enter into a joint agreement for the funding, management and maintenance of the new facility in the interests of all users and the community. CCC has recently invested in a number of new facilities. Its single most important weakness is its ageing and unsanitary clubhouse.

Claygate Royals Football Club

Formed in 1990, Claygate Royals FC is a thriving soccer club providing Sunday league soccer for children, young people and adults.

The Club has grown significantly in recent years and now comprises 27 teams from Under 7 through to U16, three girl’s teams and has 360 registered players. CRFC compete in numerous local football leagues across Surrey. The club is actively seeking FA Charter Standard Community Club status and are keen to promote football in the community, providing boys and girls with a safe and secure environment in which to enjoy the sport. The Club Committee comprises a strong team of dedicated managers who in turn enjoy strong parental support within their teams. The Club is also very well respected within its own local community. Annual subscriptions are kept attractively low and finances are boosted by a number of regular social and sporting fundraising events Claygate Royals has in the past been a leading club for female football, but is continually struggling to retain and attract female players due to the lack of suitable facilities for ladies compared with those within other sports.

We can’t continue to develop with a clubhouse like this!

The existing building is more than 60 years old and generally in poor condition.

In particular the changing space is too small, the toilets which are only one male and one female are external and unsatisfactory, the kitchen does not comply with modern standards, access is not compliant with current legislation in relation to disabled use and generally it probably should be condemned. The CRGT has considered various refurbishment options but concluded that they are neither cost effective nor in the longer term interests of main users and the community.

Our plans
Architects impression

These plans are still preliminary, but represent the style and scale of the proposal.

The architect, Crane & Associates has endeavoured to comply with guidance from English Cricket Board and equivalent Football Foundation guide lines.

• Modern and increased capacity indoor toilets with proper access.
  
• Increased space for changing and proper shower facilities.
  
• A kitchen that complies with modern environmental criteria.
  
• A lounge area which can accommodate cricket teas, club meetings, and a range of community uses.
  
• A room in which match officials can change.

Perhaps most importantly, it provides an attractive community facility for Claygate for many years to come.

Our location

The ground is at the end of Dalmore Avenue in the centre of Claygate. One end of the ground fronts onto Church Road. The existing clubhouse is sited in the northwest corner of the ground.

New Location

Potential community use

With hygienic facilities and proper access, it is envisaged that the new building would potentially be able to be used by the wider community in addition to the two existing sports clubs:

• Local business football and cricket teams.
  
• Local junior schools.
  
• Birthday and other anniversary celebrations.
  
• Claygate Scouts and Guides.
  
• Mother and toddler groups who use the adjacent recreational area.
  
• Teams using the multi-sports basketball area.
  
• Extension of the existing usage by local schools.
  
• Other ad-hoc sports on the Rec., e.g. rounders, softball, football etc.

A new attractive clubhouse has numerous benefits:

• Improve the image, appearance and respect for the recreation ground.
  
• Improve the facilities for youth football and cricket which are currently well below standards acceptable to Surrey FA and Surrey CCC.
  
• Improve the potential for Claygate Cricket Club to play in higher leagues and to attract new players from a wider cross section of the community.
  
• Enable girls to participate and have use of appropriate changing and toilet facilities.
  
• Attract more residents of Claygate to use the Recreation Ground and play sport.
  
• Provide a community hall that has access to grassed, safe play areas.
• Replace Elmbridge’s aged asset with a new one at very small cost to Elmbridge and council tax payers.
  
• Reduce the maintenance costs to keep the old clubhouse operational.

Costs and funding

Estimates have been obtained from local builders and from a quantity surveyor, as well as comparisons being made with other recently built clubhouses in the area. The total estimated cost is approx £275,000. Funding has either been assured or applied for from Elmbridge Borough Council, Claygate Cricket Club, Claygate Royals Football Club, the CRGT, Biffa (Land Fill Tax*), the Football Foundation and the England and Wales Cricket Board. Other local sources of funding are anticipated. There will be a number of services supplied by members, leaving a shortfall of around £40k for commercial sponsorship and fundraising by the clubs themselves.

TOTAL = £275,000

* Landfill tax is paid on top of normal landfill fees by businesses and local authorities that want to dispose of waste using a landfill site. It is designed to encourage businesses to produce less waste and to use alternative forms of waste management. The Landfill Communities Fund is funded by this tax and contributes money to organisations that carry out environmental improvement projects such as the proposed Claygate clubhouse.

Our target for commercial sponsorship is £40,000

If we can achieve more, it will enable us to lower our targets for other fund raising activities or loans. There is a wide scope for businesses or individuals in the community to help support a unique, highly attractive and visible local development.

Sponsorship of the clubhouse

There are a range of sponsorship opportunities for businesses or individuals to sponsor rooms, walls or individuals bricks within the new clubhouse. Sponsorship of the whole clubhouse is available, or we would be very happy to negotiate naming rights on this basis or on each dressing room, kitchen etc.

The bar

This is the largest individual sponsorship opportunity within the clubhouse and we will be discussing this with local drinks suppliers, and or, local breweries.

Individual sponsorship

We are creating gold, silver and bronze sponsor packages which will be individually negotiated and will give naming rights and other benefits as appropriate – i.e. club membership for life!

We will be approaching individuals, businesses and organisations over the coming months. If you would like to participate in this exciting local development in a real and tangible way, please contact Nigel Abbott for further information:

Nigel Abbott
Tel: 01372 465350
Mobile: 07774 161634
Email: gnabbott@aol.com