Club vows to play on and overcome setback
BEANACRE and Melksham Cricket Club has thanked the local community for rallying round in support after the club’s pavilion at Melksham House burnt down earlier this month.
The club was devastated when a fire tore through the pavilion on Sunday 5th June, destroying thousands of pounds worth of equipment inside. The blaze, which started shortly after 2pm and lasted well into the evening, was put out by fire crews from Melksham, Trowbridge, Corsham and Chippenham. Since then, the club has been playing matches as planned and says it has received ‘overwhelming’ support from local people and businesses.
Club secretary Andy Footner told Melksham Independent News, “This has obviously devastated the club and we’ve lost something in the region of £6,000 in gear, mostly youth team equipment. It’s a huge loss for such a small community club.
“However, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support not just from friends and local residents, but also from local businesses, clubs and other cricket clubs throughout Wiltshire. We’ve been inundated with offers of help.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us, and to the fire service, who were fantastic on the day. They managed to save our groundskeeping equipment; I think it would have been the end of our season if they hadn’t.
“We’re battling on and still playing our matches. We don’t have a changing room but Melksham Town FC have been letting us use their facilities, which we’re very thankful for.
“Wiltshire Council, which owned the pavilion, has said the campus team want to meet with us to discuss future facilities. I understand the council will be looking to demolish the pavilion this week after any asbestos has been dealt with.”
Andy said there had been no indication to whether the fire was deliberate, but that the fire service said they thought it had started outside, where there was no electrical equipment.
Police are appealing for witnesses who were nearby at the time of the fire as they investigate the cause.
PC Nige Gilbert said, “It has not yet been determined whether or not the fire was started deliberately but we have received reports that two youths were seen in the area just minutes before the fire was reported. We would be particularly interested in speaking to these two youths, or anyone else who may have been in the area at the time of the incident.
“Sadly, the building has been destroyed by fire and we are keen to find out exactly how it happened.”
Anyone who has any information should call PC Nige Gilbert at Chippenham Police Station on 101.
Gareth Milner, PA to Michelle Donelan MP, was nearby after they attended a civic service in the town centre. He told Melksham News, “We were near the Kings Arms when I saw the smoke in the sky. I went to the club and the fire was already well under way and there were people gathered on the field watching the fire brigade.
“People were clearly upset and disappointed; it was an important community building and had been there for a long time, and it was absolutely gutted by the fire.”
