Sports rents frozen
GUERNSEY sport is emulating its Jersey counterparts in freezing rents and facility hire costs.
The move comes after the Guernsey Sports Commission commissioned a survey on how clubs would or could cope financially through the coronavirus outbreak.
Steve Sharman, who oversaw that work in his role as Sports Commission relationship manager, said that they were there to help.
‘It’s all been frozen,’ said Sharman.
‘All States rents have been given a payment holiday and individuals put on furlough.
‘I haven’t got any sports that feel they have got rent issues.’
That will be music to the ears of the likes of outdoor bowls clubs – the Northern Bowling Association and Guernsey Bowling Club, who depend on States-employed green staff to look after their greens.
The NBA at Delancey was already suffering financial difficulties after a fall in membership in recent years.
Their 2020 season is now under threat of total postponement after everything, including upkeep, has ground to a halt.
Golf started their season but now the L’Ancresse golf links have been closed to all players and upkeep, but that will now change in terms of maintenance.
However, Sharman insisted that it was not Education, Sport & Culture who were preventing greenkeepers maintaining the island’s championship course.
‘Golf has the go-ahead for green staff to work,’ said Sharman.
Golf Course Management, the body who sit above the Royal and L’Ancresse clubs and manage the use of the course, had opted to stop all work on the links.
In a letter to golfers GCM said it was their decision ‘to keep the greenkeeping team away from the workplace in line with States’ guidelines, giving number one priority to them and their families’ welfare in these difficult and unprecedented times’.
But since yesterday, L’Ancresse greens staff have the green light to return to work.
GCM chairman Shaun McDade welcomed the news.
‘We are delighted that our staff will be able to continue maintaining the golf course and are modifying our shift patterns and work practices to comply with social distancing and all required Public Health guidance.’
Cricket, meanwhile, is keeping on top of ground maintenance at both the main grounds – KGV and the College Field.
Rovers are another sports club working on their pitch, repairing the surface after the football season and readying the area for any cricket.
