Teddington Cricket Club Unveils New Pavilion
Teddington Cricket Club is delighted to announce that its new pavilion in Bushy Park is now complete and was officially opened on Friday 20th September by Tom Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Harrison, a former captain of Teddington, unveiled a plaque after speeches by members of the club at an event to mark the opening of the new clubhouse. Members who attended were also able to get their hands on the Cricket World Cup trophy won so memorably by England this summer.
The new pavilion sees the club consolidate its previous collection of pavilion, garages and shipping containers into one, modern, sustainable and environmentally friendly building. The pavilion has been designed and built to offer its users a pleasurable experience in one of the most beautiful sporting environments in the UK while also blending into its surroundings.
Bushy Park was Henry VIII’s hunting ground from 1529 and while the club has not been in a residence that long, it moved to the park over 150 years ago. The old pavilion was used by the club since the Second World War, with a new bar, kitchen, and verandah added in 1969 and only cosmetic improvements since then.
“There is a lot of character in the old pavilion,” said Teddington Chairman, William Frewen. “It could tell many stories I am sure. But unfortunately, the building was no longer fit for purpose for a modern, thriving cricket club which wants to provide the best facilities for amateur cricketers in this area.”
“The new building is crucial if we want to continue to maintain our position as a premier club in this part of the country and I am extremely excited to see the project finished and the pavilion ready to use. There are few clubs in the country that could deliver such a project.”
The opening is the culmination of a five-year project by a dedicated group of Teddington members who have helped co-ordinate the design and build of the new pavilion as well as raise the £1.6m cost of the building.
Funding has come from a number of bodies, including the Football Foundation, the ECB, Richmond Council’s Community Fund, The Gosling Foundation and the Co-op’s Local Community Fund, as well as a significant proportion from the club’s members.
Teddington will share the facilities with Radnor House School, which will use the pavilion and grounds as their sports ground, and Teddington Athletic Football Club, who have been tenants of their cricketing friends for many years.
“Fundraising hasn’t been easy,” said David Holland, Teddington President. “So we are very grateful to all who have contributed, no matter how large or small, and I am sure many generations will benefit from that generosity.”
“It is great to have Radnor House and Teddington Athletic onboard, as we want this facility to be part of the community for our members and our partners to get full use of and to enjoy their sport in this wonderful corner of Bushy Park.”
The pavilion was designed by Reed Watts Architects and built by GPF Lewis, who also teamed up to build the open-air theatre in Regent’s Park.
“The pavilion has been carefully sited to provide uninterrupted views of both pitches whilst maintaining a discreet presence in the listed park. The new timber-framed building is extremely sustainable and will achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating incorporating technologies such as a ground source heat pump, heat recovery ventilation, green roof, and a huge 32,000-litre rainwater harvesting tank to help irrigate the pitches”
“It has been hard work delivering this,” said Matthew Rees, who managed the project on behalf of the club. “But seeing the building finished makes it all worthwhile and I look forward to seeing future generations enjoy it. We are lucky enough to play in a wonderful location like this, and now we have a facility to match that.”
