CREATING A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION FOR WORLD CLASS CRICKET
18 July 2014
CREATING A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION FOR WORLD CLASS CRICKET IN BRISTOL
Background and vision – what floodlights will bring to the club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club has already been massively improved over the last 18 months and we are very grateful to local people for their patience while this work has been carried out. However, in order to really secure the club’s presence here in the heart of Bristol, we need the ability to continue to host the really big matches.
Bristol is a world-class city in many ways, but it currently lacks truly modern International sporting facilities. Bringing floodlights to the Bristol County Ground would not only give us a chance to host some of the 2019 Cricket World Cup matches, but also others such as International T20s, One-Day Internationals, the ICC Champions Trophy and the One-Day Women’s Cricket World Cup, next being held in 2017.
Having permanent floodlights is a requirement of the England and Wales Cricket Board and International Cricket Council, brought in recently to ensure first class county venues provide the high levels of light required for evening matches and television broadcast. Most first class counties already have these in place.
Usage and timings
The proposed lighting would be used a handful of times per year during the cricket season and could remain fully on until 11.00 pm at the latest. The lights can then be dimmed before being turned off at 11.45 pm, to allow visitors to leave the ground safely. If matches were to finish earlier, then obviously we would switch off the lights accordingly.
Floodlights would also allow the Club to host its occasional summer Friday evening T20 matches slightly later at around 7.00 pm. This should ease traffic congestion around the ground by avoiding traffic build-up at rush hour as well as allowing residents plenty of time to return home after work.
Size and number
The plans would include six floodlight columns spaced evenly around the ground. Each floodlight would be around 45m high (roughly four times as high as a rugby post) with the base of the lighting column being 1.46m wide.
Community benefits
If planning permission were to be granted for the lighting we believe that this would be great for sport in Bristol, but also great for tourism, traders and the city’s world-wide profile.
Next Steps
Before we finalise our lighting application, we want to hear what you think. You can provide comments by completing a feedback form which can be found in reception at the club. A ballot box will be provided to ensure your comments are kept secure.
Alternatively, for more information please call 0800 0731047 or email matthew.thompson@jbp.co.uk.
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