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ECB Funding and Facilities | Bruce Cruse
Images courtesy of E.C.B.
are treated with the same
rigour as if we were the
Ministry Of Defence. We
try to present, in a delicate
way, the contractual rigour
in what we are doing. In
some cases there is no
easy way to do that but we
attempt to simplify things
and present the options as
either a grant or a loan.
Our grant program is
effectively a combination
and a synergy of what the
management board wants
from us to deliver and also
what our contract with the
government asks us to do.”
“We work from three
offices… with the head
office being at Old
Trafford. In that office we
have the Northern
Regional Facilities and
Funding Manager. The
Midlands Manager is
based at Edgbaston and
the South West & London
and South East Managers
are based at Lords.
Whilst they are not
necessarily positioned
within their local region
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they are regularly out and
about in those areas doing
important work. They
effectively mirror the
national model and will
therefore regularly have
meetings with regional
RFU and FA
representatives and deal
with counties within their
regions.”
“We recently
produced…a guidance
note called ‘Developing a
Project – from Concept to
Completion’ because in
some cases we’ve found
that people who are
championing projects at
clubs come from a whole
host of different skill sets
and a range of different
environments.
The skills required to
deliver a facilities project
are very distinct and, if you
don’t understand that, or
are not from that
background, then every
hurdle seems a
monumental one. The
document has been
developed to help people
become fully aware of what
needs to be done before
they embark on a project.”
“Whilst initial work… in
term of sports development
for clubs is with their
county, in terms of
technical work, a club can
call one of my team 24/7
and they will either send
out advice or come and
have a site consultation.
They are trained to do
technical sessions and it’s
a free service, so I’d
encourage clubs to make
the most of it. We’ve also
many documents to view,
sitting free of charge, on
our website which is
exceptionally up to date.”
“We give generic advice
within the industry… and
sign post membership
bodies such as the Royal
Institute of British
Architects and offer a
certain amount of guidance
on lists of companies/
people who we do not
necessarily approve, but
who we know work to a
consistent standard.”
“We are going to create a
new section of our
website… to complement
our ‘Pavilions and
Images courtesy of E.C.B.
Proposed Harrogate Pavilion
Clubhouses’ document
which will be a web based,
one stop suite for people to
design a pavilion. We hope
it will spark ideas and it
suggests ways forward
regarding materials and
finishes. Part of the idea is
to create models based on
Images courtesy of E.C.B.
Proposed Stirling County Pavillion
the design guidance.
When it’s finished there
will be five different layouts
and four different
treatments on offer. What
we have found is that
actually there is no design
vocabulary for cricket.
Many people think about
the Victorian or
quintessentially English
look but in fact that look
originated in France!
After two and half years of
research we found that the
actual traditional aspect is
the layout inside which
means the changing rooms
to the sides and the social,
central area.
We are trying to give the
message that today’s young
cricketers may well not
have any connection with a
Victorian building and are
possibly more likely to
want to see something that
they see on the high street.
Also, there are certain
communities that don’t want
to be anywhere near what
Victorian architecture
represents.”
“Harrogate Cricket
Club’s new pavilion… will
be funded by us. It’s
interesting in that we have
followed the project from
day one. Their facility
burned down in an arson
attack and we’ve managed
to pull a program together
that ultimately finished up
in a positive redevelopment
plan.
Once completed it will be
one of the first sustainable
buildings that has been
born out of the document
and is exciting from that
perspective because it
shows a whole new
direction. The project,
which will be completed by
the end of March, follows
one of our design plans.”
“Our vision… is to create
a new cricketing landscape,
create opportunities and
influence others where we
can. We are keen to
continually improve what
we are doing, not just in
terms of the business, but
also in terms of what
Cricket Clubs look like. It
means sometimes the
process involves us teasing
out of what clubs truly want,
what is in their best
Images courtesy of E.C.B.
Proposed Broughton Pavilion
interests and is the best
value.
In terms of the longer term
future, it’s rather uncertain
times although our
immediate future is secure
and we will continue to be
able to support clubs. Also,
there will be more money
coming into new facility
schemes in the next two to
three years.
As a game we can only
extend how far we know
our commercial contracts
will allow. We don’t know
what the next SKY contract
for example will look like,
so there are some
unknowns. Added to that is
the economic climate we
have in this country and the
current government’s
possible attitude towards
public money spending
within sport.
We are also aware that
energy costs are going to
rise and the cost of playing
ECB Funding and Facilities | Bruce Cruse
sport will increase. Future
government policy on
climate change will mean
that all non-domestic
buildings must create as
much energy as they use.
It’s a further challenge, but
I believe the ECB and my
CEO understand the value
of facilities. It’s my
expectation that we will
continue to receive strong
support.”
Check out – ‘Pavilions and
Clubhouses’ ‘Developing
a Project From Concept to
Completion’ and ‘Sources
of Grant Aid and Funding
For Cricket Clubs’ all
available at - www.ecb.
co.uk/development/
facilities-funding
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