Cricket opportunities for grassroots teams and aspiring players alike are set to be transformed after Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club took on a 25-year lease for the West Park facility in West Bridgford.

The park, situated less than a mile from the county’s historic Trent Bridge headquarters, will become a hub for community cricket, while also providing high-quality facilities for the club’s expanded player pathway, which gives boys and girls the opportunity to progress towards a professional career.

The site will help to meet growing demand for facilities caused by increased participation in the game, with children’s cricket sessions delivered for young people of all ages and abilities. West Park will also become a home for Nottinghamshire’s disability cricket offerings, the ACE Programme (which aims to drive African-Caribbean participation) and a newly-formed LGBTQ+ team.

The venue will stage matches for Nottinghamshire’s boys’ sides up to U16 level, while also driving the continued expansion of opportunities for women and girls by hosting age-group and Academy fixtures for the club’s professional women’s team, The Blaze.

Other on-site facilities, including the century-old Sir Julien Cahn Pavilion, will allow the club’s official charity, the Trent Bridge Community Trust, to deliver programmes helping those in need across the county – including the Forget Me Notts initiative for individuals with dementia, and the Positive Futures programme for young people at risk of social exclusion.

“West Park has a long and celebrated history in cricket and we are delighted to be working with Rushcliffe Borough Council to unlock the potential of the site,” said Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Interim Chief Executive Michael Temple.

“Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club has grown to become so much more than a men’s professional team and we will host training and matches on West Park to nurture the next generation of professional and recreational cricketers. Within the term of this lease, I am certain that we will see aspiring young cricketers make the step from West Park to Trent Bridge.

“Along with our training base at Lady Bay, West Park will become a key part of our Club’s estate of cricket facilities and will enable us to re-affirm our commitment to Rushcliffe by providing a cricket club and a suite of community initiatives for the borough to be proud of.”

West Park was founded by cricket philanthropist Sir Julien Cahn in the 1920s, and originally hosted fixtures played by his private XI.

The venue went on to host several First-Class fixtures, while the West Indians and South Americans were among the touring sides to have competed against Sir Julien’s side.

Through the existing partnership between Nottinghamshire and Rushcliffe Borough Council, the site has undergone redevelopment in recent summers, with a new non-turf pitch installed in 2023 and fully-enclosed outdoor training nets unveiled in 2024.

West Bridgford Legion Cricket Club will continue to enjoy use of facilities, as the site’s partner cricket club, while Nottinghamshire will provide expert guidance and support to the club’s volunteers to ensure grass cricket wickets remain of the highest possible standard.

“This is a unique opportunity to drive developments in the professional and recreational game in the county,” said Nottinghamshire’s Chair Andy Hunt.

“Our responsibilities extend far beyond the gates of Trent Bridge – and if we want our sport to continue to thrive, we must ensure that facilities remain of the highest possible quality and keep pace with rising levels of demand.

“I’m also delighted that the hub at West Park will remain home to West Bridgford Legion CC, providing them with a high-quality facility and the opportunity for their dedicated volunteer workforce to develop their skills and knowledge.”

West Park will become Nottinghamshire’s third venue in West Bridgford, alongside Trent Bridge and the cricket facilities at the Notts Sports Club in Lady Bay.

“Rushcliffe is the home of great sport in Nottinghamshire and we’re pleased this partnership with Nottinghamshire highlights a strategic growth opportunity that aligns perfectly with our Leisure and Playing Pitch strategies and recently adopted draft Sport and Tourism Charter,” said Cllr Neil Clarke, Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council.

“It also aligns with building on the strong and positive relationship through continued collaboration with major sporting partners and strengthening our collective reputation as a prime destination for sport nationally.

“The Council’s refreshed Rushcliffe Leisure Strategy until 2027 outlines several key priorities aimed at enhancing leisure provision across the Borough, with a strong focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and community wellbeing.

“Growing the women’s game is a significant focus for the partners here and we want to do all we can to increase the opportunity for the numbers of women, girls and all cricketers to play recreationally.”