What started as a request for £500 funding turned into a passionate debate about the future of Rye Bowls Club at the town hall on Monday July 1. Rye Town Council’s meeting was dominated by the worries that the sports club was “dead in the water” if decisions are not made quickly by Rother District Council (RDC), with Rye councillors vowing to help.
Ian Scott from Rye Bowls Club also told the meeting how he feared the town could be left with a “building falling into disrepair and a patch of grass nobody cares about”. To save money, RDC has cancelled the current grounds maintenance contract that supports both the bowls and cricket clubs on The Salts.
Whilst Rye Cricket Club is continuing to discuss working with RDC, Rye Bowls Club sees the current offer of support as unworkable. Ian Scott says the finances and restrictions make no sense. “They’ve offered us a lease that gives us nothing. We want to use the club for more events and to make it play a greater role in the community. None of that can happen without a more flexible licence from RDC. It’s financially unviable.” The club has been given a deadline of the end of November to reach an agreement.
Councillors praised Rye Bowls Club for doubling its membership and the recent publicity drive. This weekend Rye Chamber has organised a fundraiser on Saturday July 6, with an open day taking place at the club on July 27.
The restrictions in the lease suggested by RDC also include a ban on advertising at Rye Bowls Club – both on the club house and around the ground. Ian Scott told the meeting without promotion the club can’t succeed. “We need to have something that announces we are here. Every week when people see us playing it brings us new members.”
Councillors noted a ban on adverts at the bowls club seemed at odds with other organisations being allowed to put up boards and hoardings without prosecution in Rye. “Ridiculous,” said Cllr Bernadine Fiddimore. “Why on earth is the bowls club being treated differently?” said Cllr Jo Kirkham.
Earlier in the year a spokesperson for RDC told Rye News: “To support clubs in continuing their sports, we have offered peppercorn licences or leases of the land they use so they can manage the grounds maintenance themselves.”
After a vote to agree the extra funding, Mayor Andy Stuart – himself a member – told Rye Bowls Club it had the enthusiastic support of Rye Town Council: “We wish you well!”
The meeting then turned – inevitably – to discuss Rye’s public toilets. Cllr Andi Rivett was praised for his hard work in ensuring the toilets on the Strand were able to re-open last week. Councillors voted for work to begin on re-opening the toilets in the Gun Garden, with a longer-term solution to be explored as part of ongoing budget discussions. Both sets of toilets were closed last November because of cost cutting at RDC.
Image Credits: Kt bruce .
Can anyone tell me the difference two clubs playing on two different areas of the Salts,one given permission to advertise sponsors,and the other denied by Rother District Council.
Well done Rye TC for supporting the Bowls Club in a financially material way. To answer John’s question above; the meeting was told that Rother DC refused permission for the Bowls Club to put up sponsors’ boards as they could be a distraction to car drivers on the main road. Whereas others – ie the Cricket Club were given permission, as their sponsors’ boards could only be seen by those on the Cricket Salts such as the players of the three adult teams and the parents of the 70 or more children (girls as well as boys) who get the opportunity to receive coaching and play sport in one of the four junior teams on the Cricket Salts
But…but… Rother had no problem with the bright electronic signs in the shop windows at Skinners Roundabout. Surely those are much more likely to distract drivers!
Rye cricket club is a very important part of our community. We need to do everything we can to nurture it and safeguard its future.
I have been involved with the club for a few years now and I am constantly amazed by the dedication, drive and sheer number of hours it’s members put in to making it the success it is.
Both my young sons play at the salts during the season, it is a superb place for them to meet other kids from around the area from different schools and backgrounds. Apart from being a great source of exercise the club teaches its youngsters respect, fair-play and how to interact with coaches, volunteers and other adults as they progress to the more senior teams.
It seems to me what RyeCC needs is RTC and RDCs full support to control their own destiny. It costs an awful lot of money to keep the cricket field looking as good as it does, money neither RTC or RDC seem to be able to afford.
RyeCC has been around for 270 years, let’s make sure it is still around in another 270 by supporting it any way we can.
My children train and play at Rye Cricket club. It is a fantastic local resource and needs to be protected. The coaches are great and have so much knowledge.
Philip says advertising boards would be a distraction to passing motorists on the main road, I disagree, if the advertising boards face inwards on the grass bank adjacent to te road,this would not distract motorists anymore than all other signs around the town, let’s have a level playing field,for all in this town.
With respect, what Philip actually said was “the meeting was told Rother DC refused permission for the Bowls Club to put up sponsors’ boards as they could be a distraction to car drivers on the main road”. He did not proffer his opinion on the validity of the councils stance.
I believe local sports clubs should be able to raise funds by advertising local companies on roadside signage. We have some very large hoardings along the roadside already in the station approach, at the entrance of Cyprus place and indeed, new ones on the Skinners roundabout.
Hello John Please let’s keep things correct. What I said in my post above was that it was reported at the recent Rye Town Council meeting that it was Rother DC who had refused permission for the Bowls Club to put up advertisements as they could distract motorists. Not me!
I agree with you about the hoardings issue at the Bowls Club. So please take it up with Rother and not me.
Overall the main issue, however much we all don’t like it, is that Rother DC are very shortly going to give up the maintenance of the Rye sports grounds and recreation areas. Hence the sports clubs together with Rye TC, have to come up with practical and pragmatic solutions to ensure that these Rye assets are maintained to a high standard
The great thing about the Cricket Club is that (as well as providing well organised sport and well managed sports training for a huge number of local children) is that it has budgeted for the grass maintenance equipment to ensure that the community asset of the Cricket Salts is managed for community use for the foreseeable future Let’s work together to do that
A Community asset for the football and cricket Salts is a great way forward for all sports in Rye in the future, how many remember before the old Rye borough council gave away this Rye family silver, the Rye sports day on the bank holiday weekend down there,plus two teams playing each side of the square for Rye united representing the town,the stool ball team playing in midweek, let’s get this asset used in the future not just for 22 weeks of the summer season, but all the year round, especially as there is a fine clubhouse down there, courtesy of Rye United football club, we may not have been able to finish it, because we were under insured and no one was prepared to come to help us, but we have left a legacy of a fine building, which can be used and cherished by all in the future.
As someone who has known Rye well for more than seventy years, I’m acutely aware that what matters is making positive arrangements about the future rather rehashing negative ones about the past. Which is why the Cricket Club some time ago made arrangements to share the pavilion full time with the Rye charity FAIR and hence provide real community benefits for those less fortunate. And also with the Rye Runners whose many members can be seen both outside on the Cricket Salts and inside the pavilion throughout the year. (By the way, how about posting an apology for misrepresenting what I wrote? As pointed out by Neil Archer above)
RyeCC are now, and would be in the future running the cricket salts as a community asset. It could run a lot more events if given the freedom to do so.
I think it’d be a brilliant idea to reintroduce Stall ball and other local sports onto the field. Indeed there is a bat & trap evening taking place this Friday (A 14th century traditional Kentish game).
Rye football club moved away from the salts to the Rugby fields some years ago now and have not, to my knowledge, had anything to do with the upkeep, maintenance and refurbishment of the cricket pavilion since then. So why would they be interested in moving back?
Mr Tolhurst, it sounds like you have some great ideas for other uses of the cricket Salts outside of the season. So why not share your ideas with the cricket club and support them in managing the site?
We all want to see Rye CC thrive and see the field kept to the high standard it is today.
Neil I certainly agree with you that the Salts is an excellent Community asset, I’m not talking about Rye united coming back to the Salts,but Rye bay youngsters are desperate for new pitches, and the middle part where Rye united used to play on remains mostly dormant throughout the winter months, so your right let’s use it for all,and not the privilege few.
Hi John. Im not sure what you mean by the ‘middle part’. Rye United used to play on the cricket salts along the side closest to the railway line?
Surely the ideal place for Rye Bay youngsters is where Rye seniors play? It’s set up perfectly for playing football already?
I think you will have upset quite a few people with your characterisation of those who play cricket as ‘the privileged few’. I’m not sure whether you are aware of this but coaches from RyeCC give their time free of charge to run cricket training in both Rye primary and Rye College. Most of these children are anything but privileged. Indeed it is one of RyeCCs stated aims to increase participation in the sport by children from the immediate area, especially girls, and whatever their circumstances.
Please can everyone reading this imagine what the cricket salts would look like if RyeCC was to cease to exist. RTC would have to tend to it and we know how this town is strapped for cash as it is.
Please let’s all support a dedicated bunch of people who bring so much value and enjoyment to our town.
As someone who now has the responsibility of managing the grass grounds for Icklesham Parish Council, the owners of the Harbour Field at Winchelsea Beach, where the Rye Bay youth teams play, I’m acutely aware of their needs. In fact, I met with one of the Rye Bay team managers on the Cricket Salts a few months ago. Any decision about can use the Cricket Salts in the future will be a matter for the Rye CC committee, the newly formed CIO together with Rother DC, the owners of the Cricket Salts.
John – Please don’t use derogatory words as “the privileged few”. The wonderful condition of the pitches, the ground and the pavilion is due to the hard work over many years by dedicated members of the Rye cricket club. As are the huge numbers of Rye children that have received training on the Cricket Salts and in the Sports Centre from Rye CC members.
Very shortly Rother District Council will be handing the tenure of the football and cricket Salts to Rye town council, and a lease will be given to the cricket club to run the ground and maintain it,which they will with sponsors and grants.that doesn’t give them right to dictate to others who use this open recreation ground,which was left to all of the people of Rye, and many have rented off the council over the years for different sports and events. Next we will see if they have their way an enclosed ground,with no access to the dog walkers and the general public, Rye town council must make sure this never happens.
John, you do seem to be taking increasingly polar opposite positions here … unsure why?
You agree it’s a community asset, you agree it should be available to all but your last comment about “an enclosed ground, no access” is wrong and disingenuous.
If the Cricket Club in conjunction with Rye Town Council and other supporters want to take on the maintenance of the ground, continuing to offer cricket to so many children (in addition to free sessions at Rye Primary School) that should be supported by you and others.
Otherwise the area won’t be maintained year round for use by the whole community.
Has anybody set up a sponsorship t raise money for the pavilion? I used to play for Rye United way back ,so for one wouldn’t mind chipping in!!
Rye United no longer play at the cricket salts. The cricket club has taken on sole responsibility for the upkeep of the pavilion. I’m sure any donations or help you could offer would be greatly received though!
There is an easyfundraising account set up for RyeCC if any-one would like to link their Online shopping etc to this. It is a really easy way to raise money for a brilliant cause without costing you a thing!
I think we all feel that the Salts is a community asset and we acknowledge the positive impact that sports such as cricket and bowls have. The question is how these sports facilities are financed given that RDC has withdrawn funding. Other funding sources are available, as is happening with the swimming pool. With regard to advertising, Lawrence makes an excellent point about the controversial electronic advertising screens at Skinners Roundabout. How were these given permission by RDC and supported by National Highways (albeit with conditions) when they clearly distract users of the roundabout? Footfall in this area is limited, so it’s mainly drivers being targeted. It makes no sense for RDC to claim that adverts at the bowling green would distract drivers when they approved the screens. There is a lot of illegal advertising in and around Rye, especially on public road verges and on street furniture such as railings and lamp-posts. The problem peaks in summer. My own feeling is that the vastly underused skate park on the Salts should be scrapped and replaced with a public padel tennis court which could double as a basketball/netball court.
Edward. The fate of the skatepark is still undecided as far as I am aware. The fact of the matter is the council don’t even seem to able to find funding for refurbishing, replacing or removing the skate park. So certainly won’t be able to fund a basketball court, its furniture and fencing.
Losing the skatepark is a shame as it was entertainment for lots of teenagers. I guess they will have to take their sport to the streets instead….
John – As Grahame Burton says your posting is both false and disingenuous. The Rye cricket club welcomes and indeed, will continue to much welcome, those who take their daily stroll around the Cricket Salts with or without their dog. As they in their turn, welcome and appreciate the short turf of the ground, unlike the long, overgrown grass on the Iron Salts.
Neil I’m sure Rye town council can get grants and funds available to refurbish the skatepark for the youngsters of Rye on the Salts, we must ensure all our young are taken into account, whatever their interests are, and not the chosen few.
I’m glad the “chosen few” who will use the skate-park have your support…….
When it comes to ‘The Salts’ is it possible an authoritative body could clarify who owns, leases, runs, manages, operates what, where, by whom, when and for how long?
We have everything in the mix from skateparks, bowls, cricket, stoolball, paddle tennis, basketball, football, netball, dog walking, electronic signage, various councils and interested, well meaning commentators.
‘ The Salts’ is a serious part of Rye’s heritage and probably justifies a serious ‘coat of looking at’ Any chance somebody could organise an interested parties get together and get some sort of consensus as to the way ahead?
PS: Don’t consider Rother DC. They are not being benevolent handing back control of anything to Rye. They are merely getting out from under by eliminating another cost centre.
You are correct. RDCs decision to remove ground maintenance from local sports facilities is for purely financial reasons. In short they are skint!
It’d be wonderful to imagine RyeTC could pick up the tab for all the work RDC will not be funding but where will this money come from?
The ownership, leasing and management arrangements of local sporting facilities is very complicated. I guess RDC could give you an idea of the current status but this autumn it is all going to change!