‘It’s horrifically frustrating’ – travellers could have cost Waterlooville Cricket Club a potential four-figure sum in lost bar revenue

Yesterday’s Southern Premier League fixture with neighbours Hambledon was called off after a fleet of caravans had gained entry to their Jubilee Park playing area last Tuesday evening.

It was an eagerly anticipated fixture with Hambledon top of the Division 3 table, after winning all their games so far, and Waterlooville challenging for second spot.

Though the travellers eventually left Rowlands Avenue y esterday, it was far too late in the day to get the cricket game played.

Waterlooville CC chairman Andy Reynolds told The News it was the first time travellers have ever caused his club to cancel a 1st X league fixture.

It is also believed to be the first time a Southern Premier League fixture has been cancelled for such a reason.

‘We’ve had travellers a few times,’ he said. ‘I remember 30-odd years ago they turned up with horses and carts. But they had never stopped us playing before, they were always down the bottom end. And once I asked them to move and they did.

‘This time there were six or seven caravans outside the boundary, and around the same amount 10 or 20 feet inside the boundary.

‘I know they have driven over the pitch numerous times but it doesn’t appear to be damaged that much. We’ll go down on Monday and have a closer look.

‘The council will need to clear it up - it’s a bit of a mess. Some of the rubbish has been bagged up, but sometimes there’s glass and needles lying around.

‘It’s horrifically frustrating. We had to cancel junior games and practice last week and we’ll probably have to cancel nets and a junior game this week.

‘We’d normally look to take between £600 and £1,000 in bar revenue on the Saturday, and that’s obviously gone.

‘The council will now have to bring in their own (clean up) team, so that’s another cost.’

Reynolds said the travellers gained access to the area shortly after he had left the facility last Tuesday around 8pm. Within half an hour, he had received a call that caravans had started arriving.

‘I went back down there and asked if I could speak to whoever was in charge, but it was mainly women there at the time.

‘I asked if they could move 100 yards down the field they would be out of our way, but they didn’t move.’