Minutes of Ketton Sports and Community Centre Trustees at KSCC on March 12, 2024.
Present: Ed Finch (director), Nigel Roberts, Jenny Rogers, Anna O’Connor, Bob Warters.
Apologies: R Conde ( secretary).
The meeting welcomed Louise Warren (representing Ketton Sports Cricket Club) and Neil Stevenson (Blackstones Juniors Football Club) as new representatives of sports bodies using the complex, to participate in discussion on how the centre can maximise its potential to generate revenue and move forward following the recent resignations of directors and trustees.
EF outlined the current state of finances of the centre and that it was in debt to resigning directors and that he was aiming to meet them for an official hand-over of responsibility.
To get the centre working efficiently it needed to maximise good weather and could potentially generate £2,000 per week revenue. However, a structure needed to be in place to galvanise all sports sections.
NS explained that his club had 210 members ( including 40 coaches) and had a 10-year plan to become a semi-professional operation. But he agreed that it needed all aspects of the centre to be co-ordinated and working properly to serve the various sections. The inclement weather had been an issue causing postponements and a backlog of fixtures but when matches take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings there was the potential for 200-300 players and spectators to use the facilities.
Similarly LW reported that when circumstances and the weather allowed during the summer, age group cricket was taking place on site for upto eight hours at a time with great potential for providing revenue for the centre. Following a break-in which lost them vital machinery, its replacement would be a burden on their finances.
It was agreed that the weather currently dictated there was no guarantee of foot-fall to the centre. A business plan needs to be created to improve the offering to the various sections and the Ketton community.
Discussion was held on improvements to the centre, including outside decking on the frontage and historical images of local sport on the interior walls of the ‘sports bar’.
Events to help drive trade to the bar included a comedy night on June 2, which AC is pursuing and Blackstones Juniors’ end of season presentation on May 18 with a hog roast (NS). A quiz or race night on April 13 was also suggested together with maximising the opportunities to show the FA Cup final (May 25) and Champions League final (June 1) on large screen TV.
Traditional car boots are scheduled to be staged on bank holiday Mondays on May 27 and August 26. BW advised that the bowls section were prepared to continue providing their support which included making refreshments in the kitchen, as, along with other sections it provided a vital revenue stream for the club. NS had concerns of long term damage to cricket outfield and football pitches.
Insurance for the triathlon club was still an issue and EF agreed to continue the conversation with their representatives.
Next meeting: Thursday, April 18 @ 7.30pm