Mudeford Cricket Pitch repairs close to completion

The spendings at Mudeford Recreation Ground and Cricket Pitch have been described as essential to repair a “nearly unplayable” field.

The field, which is home to Mudeford Cricket Club, was flagged for its “poor condition” in the summer of 2022.

It had received many complaints from visiting cricket teams, and the chairman of the Hampshire Cricket League Ground Committee said it needed “immediate attention”.

Mudeford Recreation Ground quickly became the subject of Christchurch Town Council meetings, where members agreed its state was impacting sports enthusiasts, as well as dog walkers, families, and residents.

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Christchurch Town Council decided to invest in the ground and set aside £45K in earmarked reserves for the 2022/23 financial year to fund repairs.

Christchurch Town Council posted a picture of the pitch in September after ground preparation (Image: Christchurch Town Council)

In August of this year, it was agreed by the resources committee that £1,830 would be spent to survey the state of the ground.

Plans for digging and reseeding were agreed upon, and the field was closed the following month to allow the work to commence.

On Monday, Christchurch Town Council said the repair works are close to completion and could be finished in the “next few weeks”, but said it was “difficult” to give an exact date.

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James Atkinson, acting town clerk, then confirmed that the total cost for the Mudeford Recreation Ground repair project came to £50,266.71.

He told the Daily Echo: “The town council set aside £45k in earmarked reserves in 2022-23. The project started in September 2023.

“The cricket pitch was deemed unsafe by the Grounds Maintenance Association so the town council has invested £50,266.71 and has secured the cricket pitch for the next generation of cricketers.”

Christchurch Town Council says that once complete, the repairs will “enhance the overall experience” for users of Mudeford Recreation Ground.

Both the town council and Mudeford Cricket Club have been posting updates of the work on social media.

Last month, the cricket club posted: “In case you missed it, we’ve been having some major works on our ground since the end of the season.

“Some serious work has gone in to make this happen and it’s all paying off.”