Following the establishment of a Sub-Committee to plan the Cricket Club’s re-opening in accordance with the Government’s guidelines contained in the document headed “Keeping Workers and Customers Safe During COVI-19 in Restaurants, Pubs, Bars and Takeaways”, the General Committee is delighted to announce that the Clubhouse, (including the bar and lounge), is to re-open on Saturday, 4th July, 2020 : 3pm to 9:30pm. It will also be open on Sunday, 5th July, 2020 from 12noon to 8pm.

Details of further opening times will be confirmed in due course.

As supporters of the Cricket Club will be fully aware, the Cricket Club closed its doors on the evening of Friday, 20th March, 2020 as part of the Government’s lockdown measures in an effort to tackle the Coronavirus Pandemic. Many thanks to those who have helped the Cricket Club during the period of closure by way of having paid your respective membership subscription and by making donations.

As to the re-opening of the Clubhouse, please see the following important pieces of information, :-

- Staff and members of the General Committee will help to ensure the safety of all attendees, with strict enforcement of the guidelines which now allow spacing of "one metre plus mitigation”, ie. where two metres social distancing is not possible;

- Please remember to regularly wash your hands;

- If you, or a member of your household is showing any symptoms of Covid-19, then please do not visit the Cricket Club at this time : high temperature; new continuous cough; or loss of sense of smell and taste;

- We can accommodate people inside the Clubhouse on widely spaced tables and in small groups, as well as utilising our outside space. However, due to social distancing requirements we need to limit the numbers of persons inside the Clubhouse at any one time, so please be as patient as possible;

- In order to enter the Cricket Club’s premises you must be an existing members of the Cricket Club. If you are not a current member, you can buy a membership via the Club’s website;

- Service will be slower than usual, so please be patient with our staff. There will be queuing marks on the floor at certain points. A “Can Bar” will also be in operation too;

- When you visit the Cricket Club we will need to record the contact details of all attendees for Track and Trace purposes, ie. in the event that a confirmed case of COVID-19 is linked to the Cricket Club. This data will be kept securely for a period of 21 days;

- Please be prepared to pay by contactless payment, or via your Membership Card;

- A one way system will be in operation around the building;

- Please note that children under 12 years of age are not be allowed inside the Clubhouse;

- Those persons sitting outside will be asked to use the toilets in the Cricket Pavilion. The purpose of this is keep the number of people moving around inside the Clubhouse to a minimum. Those inside of the Clubhouse will be able to use the inside toilets;

- We will be serving normal glasses inside the Clubhouse. However, anyone sitting outside must use a plastic glass. Four pint containers will also be available; and

- Unfortunately, the weather forecast for this weekend doesn’t look too good. Consequently, you may want to bring a brolly with you! If we do get a sudden shower then those outside will not, for obvious reasons, be able to rush into the Clubhouse in order to take shelter from the rain.

Hopefully, given the preparations and detailed planning that has gone into the re-opening of the Cricket Club, it is hoped that everything will run smoothly, with all attendees complying with the new rules. The General Committee’s overriding objective is the safety and welfare of its staff and those persons who attend the Cricket Club.

The re-opening of the Cricket Club is the first step in allowing supporters of Hartlepool Cricket Club, (and our newly established Hartlepool Cricket Club Football Club!), to once again enjoy the fantastic facility that is Park Drive. Thanks to the hard work of Dave Measor, (Groundsman), Park Drive is looking at its very best. Fingers crossed, the ECB will soon lift the suspension of recreational cricket, meaning that competitive cricket can once again be enjoyed by our various Junior and Senior sides, with cricket returning to Park Drive.

Finally, if you are to visit Hartlepool Cricket Club across the weekend, then please have a safe and enjoyable visit. Let’s hope the Sun does shine!