Ambitions to upgrade University of Cambridge historic sports venues Grange Road and Fenner's
Plans are afoot to breathe new life into some historic sports venues in Cambridge.
Grange Road and Fenner’s have their places in rugby union and cricket folklore, but are starting to show their age in places and both have dated pavilions, with inadequate changing rooms.
“They are two fantastic, historic, heritage-rich sports grounds from back in the day, and back in the day they were ideal,” said University of Cambridge director of sport Nick Brooking.
“For the standard of the players, and especially for the women players who now play at Grange Road, what we have at the moment is not suitable. It’s still very much based on the male rugby of the 1970s.”
It is a similar story at Fenner’s, where, when he played for Essex at the start of April, Sir Alastair Cook was getting changed in facilities similar to 1960s school changing rooms.
“There is something that says that’s what’s great about Cambridge – the heritage, the history, the amateur ethos – but you have to be serious about sport these days and what’s expected,” added Brooking. “To continue to attract and inspire people to play sport, you need to give them a sense of place and a venue that’s appropriate.”
In the next two years, the university rugby club will celebrate its 150th anniversary and the cricket club its 200th birthday, and both milestones are central to fundraising campaigns.
Read more:
University of Cambridge proposals could create sports hub for town and gown at West Cambridge site
