CRICKET would have been happy to give up Victoria Avenue playing field for a music festival, its top officials have confirmed. But no one bothered to ask.
In a joint statement at the weekend, the Guernsey Cricket Association and the Guernsey Cricket Board made it clear that they would be prepared to support the event going ahead at Victoria Avenue.
Chairman David Piesing said that at no time had either the GCB or the Guernsey Cricket Association been approached over whether the festival could go ahead on the suggested dates.
Nor had there been any discussion on how it might affect the pitch, he said.
‘If a suitable surface was to be laid over the entire playing surface, as is the norm when sports stadiums are used for music concerts in the UK, then perhaps this problem could be overcome,’ he said.
‘Furthermore, the GCA and GCB would be more than happy to work in partnership with Culture and Leisure to raise the standard and availability of such facilities for multi-use by the people of Guernsey.’
They added: ‘Having now discovered the background to the apparent previous dialogue in the ‘Guernsey Press’ on Saturday, both the GCA and the GCB would like the public to be aware that if requested by Culture and Leisure to make the venue available in May for the music festival, then we would have no hesitation in doing so.’
Their comments came as Culture and Leisure member Mike O’Hara denied the department had scuppered Guernsey Live.
But the man behind Jersey Live and the local event, Warren Holt, stood firm: the organisers had been lied to, he claimed. They learned last week that their application to hold the festival at Victoria Avenue had been refused.
Deputy O’Hara insisted that it had been made clear the fields could be used as an overspill for caravans or catering trucks, but organisers had been told before that the main event could not be held there because of the policy on protecting recreation grounds.
‘To have 5,000 people tramping on that land wouldn’t be practical,’ said Deputy O’Hara.
Despite cricket saying that it did not need the pitch, Deputy O’Hara said that it would be vulnerable and might not be easily repaired.
Mr Holt said that only 48 hours before discovering the approach had been denied, he had been asked by Culture and Leisure staff about a deposit to cover any damage done by the event.
He had agreed to this, saying it was top priority to leave the site in good order and that tried-and-tested temporary surfacing would protect the ground beneath.
In addition to securing top bands because it was early in the festival season, there were other benefits from holding it in May, he said.
‘The ground would have all summer to recover and if any reseeding was necessary, it would take effect very quickly. Guernsey would be at a considerable advantage over Jersey, as our event is held in September and there is far less recovery, but still we have never had any complaints.’
Deputy O’Hara said that the organisers had rejected other suitable sites.
The Track, Mr Holt said, had been turned down because it was far too small - not that it would have cost too much.
Saumarez Park had been considered before, but although Environment had been very helpful, because of neighbours it could not grant the application for a festival that went on into the night.
‘You can’t get headline acts that would be happy to play before 10pm,’ said Mr Holt.
There were issues over other venues, he said, in terms of access, lighting - and public transport.
‘We’ve been over six or seven times now to look at sites. Victoria Avenue ticks all the boxes.
‘We just want to work with the Culture and Leisure Department to make this happen.’
* A Facebook group - Save Guernsey Live - was created on Saturday morning. By 2pm yesterday it had attracted 199 members and by this morning, 440.
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