CIRENCESTER Cricket Club has formally unveiled its brand new £140,000 pavilion extension.

The club completed the first phase of its redevelopment thanks to a grant of £100,000 from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) partnered by Sport England.

The new facilities include two large dressing rooms in accordance with ECB specifications, integral showers and toilets and there are separate toilets for spectators Cirencester chairman Nick Price, said: “We urgently needed to upgrade our changing facilities as the old pavilion facilities were out of date.

“The development has taken a considerable time to reach fruition and the building application procedure was slow because the pavilion was a listed building and the club worked very closely with the council’s planning department.

"Because the cricket ground is located in the very scenic surroundings of the Grade One listed Cirencester Park great care was taken over the aesthetic appearance of the pavilion and we are pleased with the outcome.”

The club has received financial support from its president Lord Bathurst and have raised money themselves.

Nick said the new pavilion helps ensure the club can provide a facility to match its burgeoning success on the field.

He said: “In recent years great progress has been made in developing the club and we have more than 200 junior members as well as three adult men’s teams and teams for women and girls.”

“We regard the grant as an investment in cricket at the club for the future. All the club’s facilities are for the benefit of the local community.”

Cirencester were supported in their ECB grant application by the Gloucestershire Cricket Board.

ECB’s national funding and facilities manager Bruce Cruse said: “Cirencester Cricket Club deserves support because of the strength of their junior development programme and their special efforts to develop women’s and girls’ cricket.

“Having high quality cricket facilities accessible to the public will attract and retain new participants and it is important that they are available as this will be key to sustaining the grass roots cricket over the coming years.”

Sport England’s director of property Charles Johnston said: “The pavilion extension at Cirencester Cricket Club has upgraded the club’s facilities and will be welcomed by all the players and those visiting the club.”