Newsletter || October 2020
Update
Construction of pitch 5 & 6 began on Monday 13th July 2020. Agripower are the main contractor appointed by Nottingham High School to oversee the construction of the project. The pitches are due to be complete on the 20th November 2020. As part of the project, a new pedestrian footpath is to be installed from the front entrance of the site to the footpath on pitch 4.
The hockey centre re-opened on Monday 10th August following England Hockey’s announcement to move to step 4 of their return to hockey roadmap on Friday 7th August.
Unfortunately, a group of travellers drove on to the site on the evening of the reopening. A section of fencing between the University of Nottingham playing fields and the hockey centre was removed by them and seven caravans were driven on to the university playing fields. The University of Nottingham served an eviction notice to them and they left the site on Friday 14th August. The damaged fence has now been repaired and no further damage was caused.
A lot of work has been carried out to ensure the venue is COVID secure and compliant with all regulations and guidance issued by both England Hockey and the government. These include test and trace procedures, a new seating layout in the bar and cafeteria to ensure customers are socially distanced, a table service system for customers and a clubhouse entry policy to limit the number of people in the clubhouse at any one time. A detailed risk assessment has been drawn up for the site and the latest version of it can be viewed at www.nottinghamhockeycentre.com/coronavirus
Hockey in the Community
In anticipation of reopening at some point in July or August, a series of pre-planned friendly fixtures were organised on weekday evenings. These fixtures were able to start on Monday 10th August with men’s masters on Monday evenings, men’s 11 a side on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, ladies’ 7 a side on Wednesday evenings and mixed 7 a side on Friday evenings. The fixtures ran for three consecutive weeks to the end of August and the feedback from those taking part was really positive.
A number of Great Britain U21 and U23 men’s and ladies’ sessions have been taking place at the Hockey Centre on weekdays with a number of Beeston players taking part in these sessions.
As part of the community use agreement for pitch 5 & 6, the pitches will be made available in times when Nottingham High School are not using them. Sikh Union Hockey Club have already expressed an interest in booking the pitches for training and matches from January 2020. If any other clubs or bodies are interested in booking a pitch from January, please email [email protected]
Notts TV are broadcasting all the Beeston men’s and ladies’ premier division matches for the 2020/21 season. These will be aired every Wednesday evening from 9pm on digital television channel 7 and Virgin channel 159.
Events
The hockey centre hosted the England Hockey Championships finals across the weekends of 5th & 6th and 12th & 13th September. These were the 2019/20 season finals which were due to take place at Lee Valley in April and May but were postponed due to the pandemic. The events took place ‘behind closed doors’ with no spectators permitted in the venue. Beeston U18 girls were runners up in the U18 Tier 2 competition while Beeston ladies’ 1st team beat Clifton Robinsons 3-2 in the Investec Tier 1 women’s final and Beeston men’s 1st team beat Fareham 9-1 in the Tier 1 men’s final. This was the first time in the club’s history that Beeston have won the men’s and women’s cup double.
The England Hockey AGM took place on Tuesday 15th September. During the meeting, both the England Hockey Chairman, Royston Hogarth and Chief Executive, Nick Pink, thanked the hockey centre for hosting the events and all the staff for their effort in making both weekends a success.
This year’s Christmas Party events which were due to take place in November and December have been cancelled due to the virus outbreak.
Repairs and improvements
Renovation work has started on the former football changing rooms on the east side of the clubhouse near pitch 2. The hockey centre has taken on the lease on this part of the building which use to be managed by Nottingham City Council. The work started on the 19th August and when complete, will provide the hockey centre with a further four changing rooms, two umpire and official changing rooms and four additional toilets. Access to the newly renovated part of the building will be made through the cafeteria.
A new corner flag socket system similar to those installed on pitch 1 have now been fitted on pitch 2 and pitch 4. Alongside this, a number of repairs to the AstroTurf carpet on pitch 1 and pitch 4 have been carried out.
As with most years at this time of year, as floodlight usage begins to increase, a number of floodlight lamps have had to be replaced on pitch 1 and 2.
Whilst the hockey centre was closed over the summer, the tiled flooring in changing room 5 – 8 have been deep cleaned by a local cleaning contractor.
Finally, a new directional sign has been installed on the block paving area between the clubhouse and the car park clearly marking the 6 pitches on site.
