The Pavilion At Old Trafford Is 'Topped Out'

The Pavilion At Old Trafford Is 'Topped Out'

Glorious sunshine provided the backdrop for the topping out ceremony

The Pavilion At Old Trafford Is 'Topped Out'

The £7.5m redevelopment project of the historic Pavilion at Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) was celebrated on the 29th November with a traditional 'topping out' ceremony, led by construction company Morgan Sindall.

Officials from the Club, Morgan Sindall, BDP and members of Lancashire County Cricket Club Foundation's Young Trustees' Group signed the steelwork at the top of the Pavilion to mark the final completion of the steel frame.

Demolition of the original pavilion commenced in May this year when former CEO and ex LCCC player Jim Cumbes teamed up with ex club captain David Lloyd to witness the event.

The Pavilion, which is due to be completed by early summer, will provide brand new state-of-the-art facilities for LCCC Members, guests and business delegates. It has retained its original red brick façade and iconic turrets but will undergo a modern overhaul that will see it reaching a similar height to the clubs conference and events venue, The Point.

Chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club Michael Cairns OBE said: “Today marks another milestone in what has truly been a marathon. It has been an incredibly long and, at times, arduous journey to achieve the final planning consent to redevelop Old Trafford into a world class venue, but we are now on schedule to complete before the return of The Ashes next summer.”

When complete the Pavilion will be able to accommodate up to 700 delegates utilising eight suites and nine executive boxes. The flexibility offered by the venue for meetings and events will expand LCCC’s business offerings and further enhance the facilities already provided by The Point. 

Michael adds: “The Point is already well established as a leading conference and events facility, while the new Players and Media Centre was highly acclaimed when it opened for last summer’s International T20 between England and South Africa. The Pavilion is very much the epicentre of Old Trafford and Lancashire County Cricket Club and it will have some best-in-class amenities, not only for our Members, but also for hospitality guests on match days and provide exquisite and unrivalled facilities for business use on non-match days.”

Jim Morgan, area director at Morgan Sindall, said: “We’re delighted to be marking this significant milestone on such a prestigious project. We have been privileged to have been the principal contractor throughout the wider development of the club and it’s really exciting to be nearing completion on this final phase.”

Gavin Elliott, chairman of the BDP Manchester Studio said: “The Pavilion is the emotional heart of the cricket club. BDP’s design means it will continue to be the focal point of a transformation which is creating a unique, world-class setting for international cricket.

He adds: “We have worked closely with the Club to ensure the design strikes the right balance between the new state-of-the-art 21st century sporting venue we have been creating progressively, and the real emotional attachment many understandably have to the ‘old’ Pavilion. When complete, the Pavilion will be restored to its rightful place as the physical and symbolic centre-piece of the new Ground.”