New Development Update
Lancashire Cricket is pleased to announce that Members will have access to the New Development at Emirates Old Trafford for LV=County Championship and One Day Cup games this summer, following on from the LV= Insurance Men’s Ashes Test Match in July.
The New Development – which initially includes a new 150-seater restaurant, terrace area and concourse - will formally open for the start of the LV= Insurance Men’s Ashes Test Match, starting on Wednesday 19 July.
The Club can confirm that the restaurant in the New Development will be called The Edge and the space will be open to Members for the first time for the LV=County Championship fixture against Northamptonshire, starting on Tuesday 25 July, just two days after the Ashes Test is scheduled to finish.
Members have access to the outdoor padded seats - with raised viewing - and the outside bar adjacent to the seats from gates opening time. Members will also have access to The Edge from 11am when play starts until 4pm where the outside bar will be available until close of play. Although we will do our very best to break down the Ashes set up in a short time frame, there may be some slight disruption caused by the de-rig on Tuesday 25 July. Further information will be sent out to Members nearer the time regarding specific access.
The second opening phase of the New Development will come later in the year when a further 100 bedrooms will complement the already-established 150-bed Hilton Garden Inn on site at Emirates Old Trafford.
Daniel Gidney, Chief Executive at Lancashire Cricket, said: “We wanted to ensure that the New Development was open to our Members as soon as possible following the Ashes and we’re really looking forward to welcoming Members into the space for the Northamptonshire County Championship fixture at the end of July.
“The New Development is hugely important to the future sustainability of the Club, as it will bring vital new revenue into Emirates Old Trafford, which will get re-invested back in cricket. It will further enhance facilities for Members, particularly for County Championship and 50 over fixtures and we really hope Members will enjoy the experience.”
The Club continues to be committed towards the celebration of heritage, working alongside the Members’ Representative Group. This is evidenced by the allocation of space in the New Development project and the launching of a bid for National Heritage Lottery funds to help support a wide-ranging Lancashire Cricket Heritage project. The aim of the project is to develop a purpose-built interactive heritage hub and vibrant outreach programme to safeguard and promote the sporting and cultural heritage of Lancashire Cricket for existing Members and supporters and to help reach new and diverse audiences.
The securing of funds is a lengthy process and to date we are pleased to report that the initial Expression of Interest has received the support of the National Lottery and we are now in the development phase which will include plenty of consultation with all target communities, including Members. We will keep Members updated on progress and once we have further information around timeframes – linked to our funding applications – we will share.
Accessibility Improvements
The Club can also confirm that a number of improvements have been made at Emirates Old Trafford to ensure it is one of the most accessible and inclusive cricket venues in the country – working with the Members’ Representative Group, and in particular Steph Neville, who is the Disability representative on the MRG - ahead of a very busy summer ahead.
A permanent Faith Room has now been installed for all guests to use on matchdays and outside of matchdays at Emirates Old Trafford. This will be located in the Pavilion tunnel, behind the Main Reception. Meanwhile, the Club will also be installing a new Sensory Room in the UA92 Players’ and Media Centre at Emirates Old Trafford next month. This room will provide a space for adults and children on matchdays for a safe, secure, quieter viewing experience as some people may find the noise and environment of some matches overwhelming.
Furthermore, following the concerts in June, the Club will be installing a permanent Changing Places toilet facility will be installed next to the Trafford Cricket Centre. The unit will be an accessible toilet that includes a hoist and changing table for those who may require extra support or equipment.