£5,680 effort to thwart vandals at Bradford on Avon cricket pavilion

The town council will fork out £5,680 from its reserves to fit the shutters after multiple break-ins at the pavilion over the years have caused hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pounds of damage.

“We got fed up of replacing them,” said Cllr Jon Potter.

“We thought ‘enough is enough'. We have already replaced two wooden sheds on the field and the shutters will be to everyone’s advantage – apart from the people who break in.

“The damage has been really bad, with smashed windows and broken-down doors, but these shutters make it pretty much impossible to penetrate.

“It usually happens in the summer, but it is quite spasmodic. This will make life a lot easier. We are taking the plunge and getting it done and dusted.

“I am sure the club will be very thankful for this and it will make the place safer. I had these shutters fitted at my shop in Bath and it sorted that problem.”

The pavilion is used by the town’s cricket club in summer and youth football teams in winter.

Chairman of the Bradford on Avon Sports Association (BOASA) Isabel Martindale, welcomed the move and said this was the best deterrent to vandalism.

“I completely back this decision as it is the most cost-effective and best preventive measure possible really,” said Mrs Martindale, who has been involved with the scheme since February with the town council’s recreation group.

“To constantly replace things it is getting more and more time-consuming and expensive. It happens a few times a year so this is the only way to safeguard the constant maintenance work.

“It is disappointing that we have to spend so much time and money on this ese due to vandalism but we are doing this in the interests of community welfare.”

“It is certainly a positive move from the town council. We do not have those kind of finances and hopefully this will put the problem to bed once and for all.”

The shutters will match the colour of the stone walls and should be in place by the end of July.