New sports facilities at Eastbourne’s Westlords

Part of the new pavilion at Westlords Playing Field.

L-R: Councillor Colin Murdoch, Robert Calcott (Eastbourne Martlets CC), Peter Goodman (Polegate Grasshoppers), Councillor Colin Belsey and Sandy Boyce-Sharpe (Chairman of Ratton Neighbourhood Panel). SUS-200728-133916001 — Part of the new pavilion at Westlords Playing Field. L-R: Councillor Colin Murdoch, Robert Calcott (Eastbourne Martlets CC), Peter Goodman (Polegate Grasshoppers), Councillor Colin Belsey and Sandy Boyce-Sharpe (Chairman of Ratton Neighbourhood Panel). SUS-200728-133916001

After many years of having no buildings for cricketers and footballers who use the Westlords playing field in Eastbourne, sports fans will soon have somewhere to change rather than come in their kit or change in the back of a car.

Three Ratton councillors had been wanting to help the sports people for some years and after what they describe as a massive stroke of good fortune through a conversation that one of their number, Colin Belsey, had at County Hall, a six unit building with toilet facilities for the players was acquired through East Sussex County Council.

Mr Belsey said there had been many hurdles to jump but the area had been cleared and the units installed this week.

He said, “This will be a much needed facility for years to come and I hope it will encourage more young people to take up the sporting activities.

“We as the local councillors have used some of our devolved budget to get the project moving. A charity is also being set up but has been delayed by the pandemic and two groups are undertaking conversion of the internal units.

“I would like to personally thank Conservative county councillor and the chairman of the authority David Elkin who pointed me in the right direction, East Sussex County Council for its generosity and Eastbourne Borough Council for all the help given with the grounds and clearing a very overgrown site.

“It is probably more than two years since the first meeting round a table to discuss the idea and here we are.”

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