Help us the secure the future of our Club

BRIXWORTH CRICKET CLUB GROUND PURCHASE APPEAL

Dear Member/Player/Parent/Sponsor/Local Supporter

We wish to announce that we have been told by our Landowner and Patron - Dr Dallas Burston that he is retiring and as such selling his assets locally which includes the cricket club.

Firstly, as a cricket club, we wish Dr Burston a long and happy retirement, his outstanding generosity over the last 20 years has allowed our club to flourish and become the outstanding community asset that we see today.

For those who are unaware, Dr Burston spent in excess of £200,000 levelling the field so it was fit for purpose back in 2006 and made numerous generous gifts in the those first few years, including £50,000 for a new roof for the barn. All that he has asked for in return is a £1 a year rental. So we are very much in debt to him for what we have been custodians of since our first game in 2008. Since that time, we have been blessed with local support from sponsors, parents and thousands of volunteer hours from members that mean The Dallas Burston Cricket Ground is the envy of almost every cricket club in the County and beyond.

The land that the cricket club and tennis courts sit on has been valued at £1.2 million, as such on the 1st May 2026 this is what the area will be on the market to purchase, however, Dr Burston has agreed that the cricket club will have first refusal and will allow us to purchase this land for £600,000 up until April 30th 2026.

The fact remains however, that we are still listed as Dr Burston’s section 106 within his current development plan for his land between the cricket club and Merry Tom Lane. Thus, if Dr Burston’s application is successful he will hand over the cricket and tennis club to the local community without charge. Something that clearly would benefit both clubs and the local community. To give you an idea of how much goes on at the ground, the month of May saw the following activity:

5 Men’s senior games of cricket

6 senior ladies games of cricket

8 junior boys games of cricket

4 junior girls games of cricket

5 Junior Friday night sessions

5 ladies and girls dedicated training sessions

2 Junior Presentation evenings

4 recovery sessions in conjunction with Saxon Spires Surgery

Cube Disability Bank Holiday fun day

Plus numerous other social functions.

So we really are a community asset and one that we feel Brixworth as a village could ill afford to lose. The village is continuing to grow and to lose one of its biggest sporting assets would be a devasting loss.

As such the Club’ members voted unanimously at an EGM on the 29th May 2025 that we should do everything in our power to purchase the ground and seek to secure the future of the club.