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Football club in crisis after fire
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| Treasurer of Cirencester United FC Mark Payne inspecting the fire damage at the Four Acres pavilion |
A FOOTBALL club's future is in crisis after its pavilion was destroyed by fire for the second time in six years.
Fire crews were called to the blaze at Cirencester United FC's pavilion in Four Acres, Chesterton Lane at 3.46am on Monday morning and the fire was eventually extinguished at 5.20am.
The pavilion, which contained the team's changing rooms and showers, has been plagued by vandalism and was burnt down six years ago. Since then the club has been unable to get the premises insured.
Police confirmed this week the blaze was being treated as a possible arson attack.
Club committee member Mark Payne told the Standard: "I have been over there and it has been completely gutted by fire. We are all devastated. We won't be able to do anything for a while.
"The problem is we didn't have any insurance for the pavilion because we could not get insured after the last time it was vandalised when kids set it on fire."
| “Given the proximity of the two incidents and the time frames we are treating the incidents as suspicious.” | | Sgt Garrett Gloyn |
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The club is now holding urgent crisis talks to secure a temporary home.
Mr Payne said: "In the Hellenic League that we play in you have to have certain facilities and the changing rooms have to be up to a certain standard so I don't know where we can go from here."
A spokesman from Gloucestershire fire and rescue told the Standard that the cause of the fire was unknown at this stage.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious after a car was set on fire 100 yards away from the pavilion in Kemble Drive around the same time.
The Daewoo Nexia, parked in a car park, was completely destroyed by the blaze and a nearby Renault 19 was also damaged by the flames.
Shortly after the car blaze, the pavilion was set on fire.
Sgt Garrett Gloyn told the Standard: "Given the proximity of the two incidents and the time frames we are treating the incidents as suspicious."
2:43pm Wednesday 19th September 2007
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CommentPosted by: Danny, Chesterton on 4:41pm Wed 19 Sep 07
Well surprise, surprise... the last report stated an electrical fault which we were all stunned by... given the kids have been trying to burn it down for years surely it couldn't have been a coincidence? And now... you report it's possible arson. Could have told you that days ago!! The yobs have finally won and done what they have been trying to for years. If only people on the council and police had listened to all the neighbourhood fears regarding these yobs then it may have been prevented. Speak to the kids in the field, you can bet they will all know who did it... one young lad was in there yesterday telling the whole world his brother did it! Find out who's doing this and the other attacks and get them off the street before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. Chesterton residents have had enough.
Well surprise, surprise... the last report stated an electrical fault which we were all stunned by... given the kids have been trying to burn it down for years surely it couldn't have been a coincidence? And now... you report it's possible arson. Could have told you that days ago!! The yobs have finally won and done what they have been trying to for years. If only people on the council and police had listened to all the neighbourhood fears regarding these yobs then it may have been prevented. Speak to the kids in the field, you can bet they will all know who did it... one young lad was in there yesterday telling the whole world his brother did it! Find out who's doing this and the other attacks and get them off the street before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. Chesterton residents have had enough.
Posted by: Andy Woolfoot, Standard reporter on 5:16pm Wed 19 Sep 07
Our original report was based on information given to us by the emergency services
It was later confirmed by Ciren police they were treating the fire as suspicious and we updated our story as soon we were supplied with this information.
If anyone has any further information on this fire please contact us.
Our original report was based on information given to us by the emergency services
It was later confirmed by Ciren police they were treating the fire as suspicious and we updated our story as soon we were supplied with this information.
If anyone has any further information on this fire please contact us.
Posted by: Danny, Chesterton on 6:07pm Wed 19 Sep 07
I'm not critising your report in any way, you can only tell us what you are told. It's just that nobody believed that it was an accident.. you have to live here and see what is going on on the field on a daily basis. The field is a mess, littered with glass and debris and chip bags.. lets just hope something positive can come out of this awful incident.
I'm not critising your report in any way, you can only tell us what you are told. It's just that nobody believed that it was an accident.. you have to live here and see what is going on on the field on a daily basis. The field is a mess, littered with glass and debris and chip bags.. lets just hope something positive can come out of this awful incident.
Posted by: anon, chesterton on 10:40am Thu 20 Sep 07
The 4 acres field is now full of footballs.Youths were seen straight after school on Tuesday drinking beer at the bottom end of the field. Word is going around at Deer Park School that the beer came from the ruins of the pavillion. Surely anything of use that hadnt been ruined by the fire could have been retrieved? the ruin is not secure and is giving the local yobs a field day. I did phone the police yesterday eevening to report this.
The 4 acres field is now full of footballs.Youths were seen straight after school on Tuesday drinking beer at the bottom end of the field. Word is going around at Deer Park School that the beer came from the ruins of the pavillion. Surely anything of use that hadnt been ruined by the fire could have been retrieved? the ruin is not secure and is giving the local yobs a field day. I did phone the police yesterday eevening to report this.
Posted by: anon, cirencester on 11:21am Thu 20 Sep 07
i know what the situation is like at the four acres the last post made from danny is spot on. there is smashed glass all over the pitch and its a major concern to all the players who have to train and play matches up there also litter all over the area and the poor old members of the football club have to walk the pitch every match to remove most if not all the mess thats around plus the council dont help that poor club in no ways at all. We all live in cirencester we all care about where we r all from and what happens in and round cirencester so why cant people just help this club out yes they may be a small team but they are only a step away from cirencester town's level of football and if its going to help the town and get the town noticed then all well and good but lets all work together to make cirencester better for things that are good not for the kids that keep making this town a town that no one wants to come too cause all the gangs of kids its about time that someone listens to the people of the town and not the people that just visits thanks
i know what the situation is like at the four acres the last post made from danny is spot on. there is smashed glass all over the pitch and its a major concern to all the players who have to train and play matches up there also litter all over the area and the poor old members of the football club have to walk the pitch every match to remove most if not all the mess thats around plus the council dont help that poor club in no ways at all. We all live in cirencester we all care about where we r all from and what happens in and round cirencester so why cant people just help this club out yes they may be a small team but they are only a step away from cirencester town's level of football and if its going to help the town and get the town noticed then all well and good but lets all work together to make cirencester better for things that are good not for the kids that keep making this town a town that no one wants to come too cause all the gangs of kids its about time that someone listens to the people of the town and not the people that just visits thanks
Posted by: Laura, Chesterton on 4:51pm Thu 20 Sep 07
In response to Anon regarding the alcohol consumption on Tuesday on the four acres, that beer definately came from Tesco. I saw the kids, they were there from 2pm as they are expelled from school and they sat drinking till the early evening and left after they smashed the bottles and littered the green. It is a REGULAR thing on this field, more has to be done to stop this anti social behaviour and bring some respect back to this neighbourhood... I mean whats it been, 6 arson attacks in a month? This is terrible for the community as a whole and yes,the football club should be supported in rebuilding with CCTV and perhaps an attachment building where these kids can go instead of the streets.
In response to Anon regarding the alcohol consumption on Tuesday on the four acres, that beer definately came from Tesco. I saw the kids, they were there from 2pm as they are expelled from school and they sat drinking till the early evening and left after they smashed the bottles and littered the green. It is a REGULAR thing on this field, more has to be done to stop this anti social behaviour and bring some respect back to this neighbourhood... I mean whats it been, 6 arson attacks in a month? This is terrible for the community as a whole and yes,the football club should be supported in rebuilding with CCTV and perhaps an attachment building where these kids can go instead of the streets.
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