01
Sept
Arson ‘almost certainly’ to blame for loss of ‘iconic’ Nidderdale cricket pavilion
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Studley Royal Cricket Club has said it believes arsonists caused a fire that destroyed its 'iconic' pavilion over the bank holiday weekend.
The Stray Ferret revealed last night (August 31) that the pavilion, which featured in an episode of Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small, burned down at about 5pm on Sunday.
Firefighters from Ripon, Boroughbridge and Harrogate used breathing apparatus to bring the blaze under control but only the charred remains are left intact.
The deer park pitch
The club issued the following statement today:
It is with great sadness that today we are sharing the news that our beloved deer park pavilion in the Studley Royal grounds has been entirely lost to fire on Sunday afternoon.
It is not known officially how old this pavilion was, it certainly dates back to post-war times as a place for estate workers to play cricket. It was where the Studley Royal Cricket Club started and had become an iconic part of the Nidderdale cricket scene. We know the loss will be felt by past players, as well as our current senior and junior players who call the deer park ground their cricketing home.
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, it is almost certain that the fire was no accident and was started intentionally. At this time we are appealing to anyone who may have seen any activity or vehicles at the ground on Sunday 30th August between the hours of 4.30pm and 5pm. We need as much information as possible, even if it is the smallest thing.
Please get in touch with the police or the club. It could help us to find who did this and establish what happened on Sunday afternoon to our much-loved pavilion. No doubt we have lots of work ahead of us to find a way to fund a replacement for this iconic venue. We will need all of our community to support us in doing so.
The view from inside the pavilion after the fire.
North Yorkshire Police told us the investigation was still being dealt with by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service at this stage.
A fire service spokesperson said: "The fire investigation team attended yesterday; however, the cause of the fire is currently undetermined."
Cricketing pedigree
The cricket pitch was established at the UNESCO World Heritage Site by estate workers in the 1800s.
The workers later formed Studley Royal Cricket Club, which used the deer park as its main ground until its current Galphay Road site was built in the 1990s.
The club's third and fourth teams, along with its junior side, still use the deer park. Three remaining deer park fixtures this season have been relocated.
Studley Royal has a strong cricketing pedigree. Current Yorkshire players, opening batsman Finlay Bean and opening bowler Ben Coad, both played for the club. Ben's father Ken is its current president.
The pavilion during shooting for All Creatures Great and Small.
The pavilion is owned by the club, which rents the land for the cricket pitch off the National Trust.
A trust spokesperson said:
“Any decisions regarding the future of the pavilion, including rebuilding and associated costs, would be a matter for Studley Royal Cricket Club.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue for their swift response in bringing the fire under control.”
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