Security at the Abbey Lawn

Security at the Abbey Lawn has been a problem for many years and intruders have been responsible for widespread damage to the premises of the many sporting organisations which use it, notably the outdoor swimming pool and the football and cricket clubs which have been the targets for arson and vandalism.

In October 2006, after many protests about the lack of police cover, an Abbey Lawn Action Committee was formed to draw up proposals for the implementation of protective measures with the fencing of the entire grounds as a primary aim. The membership of the committee comprised representatives from the sports clubs that use the land, teachers from local schools, councillors, the police and Bourne United Charities which administers the area. After several meetings, a plan of action was drawn up and the proposals were put to the trustees of Bourne United Charities and were given a favourable reception and by December planning for the project was underway.

The following February, plans had been drawn up for a fence of metal railings nine feet high and painted green to blend with the surrounding trees and shrubs to be erected around the entire perimeter. A test section was installed along the frontage with Abbey Road to allow the trustees judge its appearance within the Conservation Area which was likely to be of prime consideration in the planning application which needed approval before work began. It was also suggested that the grounds would be closed at dusk to all but members of the various sports clubs who would be issued with keys to enable them use the main gates to enter and leave their premises.

The plans, however, appeared to ignore the fact that there was a right of way across the Abbey Lawn and closing the grounds at night would mean shutting off the footpath between Coggles Causeway and Abbey Road which had been in use for several centuries and certainly within the lifetime of the many people currently using it. Restricted enclosure for the grounds would therefore mean either a diversion for the footpath or an extinguishment, either of which would need the approval of Lincolnshire County Council but likely to attract protests from conservationists and particularly the Ramblers' Association which is dedicated to the preservation of these ancient paths.

The proposed fencing was the subject of many meetings by the trustees but by the summer of 2008, it was evident that the scheme had been shelved in favour of the employment of security guards. Geoff Greatwood, chairman of the trustees, confirmed this with a statement to the local newspapers on Friday 8th August in which he said:

The vandalism and anti-social behaviour has been caused by a small minority of people and we are determined that it will not spoil the enjoyment of these facilities for the majority and as a result we are instigating measures to combat this. Security patrols together with the publication of new rules for the management of the grounds are just one demonstration of our resolve to tackle the problem. It is just a great pity that we have had to divert money to pay for this at the expense of some of our other charitable organisations. We will monitor the effectiveness of the new patrols over he next few months.

At the same time, the Abbey Lawn Action Committee was reformed as the Abbey Lawn Sports Association, representing the football, cricket, tennis, pentanque, bowls and swimming clubs which use the grounds and have premises and equipment there worth a total of £2 million. Terry Bates, the chairman, welcomed the new security precautions introduced by BUC. "We hope the measures taken will at least minimise the vandalism and abuse of club members", he said. "The last thing we want is for the people of Bourne to be denied access to the Abbey Lawn but the facilities of the clubs are valuable assets which must be protected. We now await the results of the new security patrols and hope that the measures taken will be effective."

In May 2009, there was a further outbreak of vandalism when intruders smashed windows at the premises of Bourne Town Football Club. The cost of the damage was estimated at over £1,600 but club officials decided to board up the windows rather than face further bills in the future. Committee member Bob Lambert (pictured below) said that the frequency of the damage was no longer acceptable yet the club seemed powerless to act. He added: "It is costing too much to keep up with the repairs and so we have decided to board up the windows for the time being. Most of these attacks are by youngsters fuelled by drink because there are always bottles and cans at the scene. As a result, our insurance premiums keep going up because we are making so many claims and this appears to be our only solution."

The windows of Bourne Cricket Club’s headquarters at the Abbey Lawn are already boarded up and the club house at the bowls club on the other side of the ground has protective iron bars and barbed wire while similar precautions have been taken to deter intruders at the adjoining outdoor swimming pool.

Following these outbreaks of vandalism, the trustees decided that security guards had not been totally effective and that fencing was the only solution. An application for planning permission was submitted to South Kesteven District Council which was subsequently granted and work began erecting the iron railings in the summer of 2009 at a cost of £60,000. It was completed by the end of August and it was also decided to introduce a dusk to dawn curfew, a development regarded as necessary but not desirable and, as described at a meeting of the town council, a sad day for Bourne.

News report from The Local newspaper Friday 17th April 2009

REVISED NOVEMBER 2009

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