Phase 1 - Construction
Construction of the clubhouse is proceeding very well. The interior of the existing cricket pavilion has been remodelled to enlarge the cricket changing rooms by 70%, provide toilets for the clubhouse and a small parish office. The pavilion should be complete by Easter.
The clubhouse extension is under construction and should be constructed by the end of April though bad weather delayed the brickwork. We have had to reorient the front entrance to face outward and re-site the kitchen service door because of the drop in ground levels.
The clubhouse will be substantially completed to the point where Castlethorpe Cricket Club can use the building with their existing tables and chairs for cricket teas when they start their Home games in May.
Phase 2 – Fitout
Phase 2 will be developed in two stages. The first stage is to provide a café and the second to provide a bar.
We have a grant application into MK Community Foundation to create a community space with a café offering hot and cold drinks and simple snacks. We hope to offer a free WiFi service to permit café-style home working.
A decision on our application is due in April. If successful, we might be able to have a café service in late summer but this would be the earliest possible date.
Our grant application to the National Lottery was not successful. We were probably being a bit over-ambitious in our request and we now applying for other grants. Once we have the café, and assuming we are successful with at least one grant, we should be able to equip a bar which is what we voted for last year.
There is also an ‘extended café’ optional third stage with more equipment which would allow a greater menu range. The

extra equipment is quite expensive so this will depend on demand and, in any case, would follow the bar.
Invitations to join a Public Art Advisory Group for art work at both the clubhouse and on the village shop extension have been published on Facebook and are included in the latest edition of Castlethorpe News with response due by the end of March. Louise Izod, the MKCC Public Art officer, will come to the kick-off meeting at 7.30pm at the Village Hall on 22nd April to help us access the funding earmarked for us.
Phase 3 – Operation
The clubhouse will be operated by a Community Interest Company, Castlethorpe Community Space CIC, in the same way as the village shop rather than directly by the Parish Council. Its name reflects its use as a space for the community and not just a bar. The initial Directors are (alphabetically) Phil Ayles, Steve Bradbury, Lawrence Chapman, Russell Forgham, Ian Horne and Luke Jefferies.
However, once the clubhouse has been fitted out and is ready for general use, residents will be invited to become members of the club and elect new Directors to run the club as members wish.
 A decision is to be made, but not until Phase 1 is complete and we know, at a minimum, if we can fund the café option, whether CCS CIC will operate the clubhouse directly or seek tenants.
Credits
The project team, consisting of the above Directors plus Bridgit Richards, Stewart Tate, Jacquie Ladyman and Darren Merritt, is putting an absolutely incredible amount of work into this project including managing the build, specifying the fit-out, obtaining the quotes, making the grant applications and preparing the business plans. The village owes them a huge vote of thanks.
Philip Ayles