Bridgend Council’s Cabinet is set to agree to a new lease of the Newbridge Fields Cricket Pavilion to Bridgend Town Cricket Club (pdf).
Subject to Cabinet approval, the terms of the lease will be amended to include the adjoining cricket nets and some additional land to the side and rear of the pavilion itself. The new lease will run for 35 years.
The original 21-year lease expired in September 2019 but has been carried over under the existing terms and conditions until a new lease could be agreed upon. The terms allow the use of the pavilion by other sports clubs that play on Newbridge Fields outside of the cricket season.
An objection to the new lease was raised, as under the new terms, the cricket club will be responsible for managing the pavilion rather than BCBC’s Parks Department.
The objection raised concerns that this would affect the terms allowing others sports clubs to use the pavilion during the cricket off-season. However, Bridgend Council says these terms would continue on the same basis.
“Although there will be a change of management of the pavilion changing rooms, this is not at variance with the terms of the expired (holding over) lease and the intention of the Council to protect the shared use of the pavilion for all sports clubs. The terms of the renewal lease will ensure this continues.”
– Janine Nightingale, Corporate Director for Communities
In a separate-but-related issue, Independent councillors, club officials and current and former rugby players have long-standing concerns about the state of the other two pavilions at Newbridge Fields.
In April 2021, Bridgend Council announced a partnership with Bridgend Athletic and Bridgend Sports to upgrade the Bandstand Pavilion (used by Bridgend Sports) and the New Pavilion (used by Bridgend Athletic). The New Pavilion is located next to the cricket pavilion but doesn’t form part of the new lease.
Urgent repairs to the Bandstand and New pavilions were carried out during 2021. It’s been claimed since then that access to changing rooms has been restricted for several months, resulting in youth-grade teams having to move games or make other alternative arrangements.
