Nimbyism row puts future of Rosslyn Park at risk
Opposition to advertising hoardings is a worrying sign for community club, writes Daniel Schofield
‘Rosslyn Park made my weekends fun. I’ll be forever grateful to the club and the parents’
It is hard to understate I the imprint Rosslyn Park has left on English rugby. Every year the club host the world’s largest schools sevens tournament, which has acted as a launch pad for countless international players. During the season, they welcome up to 1,200 children each week through their community programme.
Now, the club of Prince Alexander Obolensky, Andy Ripley and Danny Cipriani are under serious threat from a classic case of Nimbyism.
Rosslyn Park’s problems began when one of their floodlights was blown over in a storm in 2014. It was not the only thing that was falling apart at the Priory Lane ground, which had barely been refurbished since the club moved there in 1957.
“We realised in order to continue and expand our offering for youth rugby, we needed an all-weather pitch,” Adam Tyrer, the chairman, said. “We wanted to transform the club into even more of a thriving, social community sports hub. That became the key to how we saw the club surviving and growing.”
The all-weather pitch carried a £1million price tag and, as a non-profit community club, playing in the third tier of English rugby, income streams are limited. A sizeable loan was needed.
Being based beside the busy South Circular Road did offer an enticing opportunity to reach a lot of eyeballs, and the idea was born to install electronic advertising hoardings.
The idea was simpler than the execution. Planning permission was sought from Wandsworth council and Transport for London, environmental studies were commissioned and consultations with local residents undertaken.
“There were some concerns, but those who attended our presentations understood how important it was to the club’s future and that it served a bigger purpose,” Tyrer said.
The club leapt through the various hoops and the screens were installed in November 2015. It was at this point a handful of opponents decided that there was not enough consultation in the planning process. A petition was launched, which gained just a couple of hundred signatures.
When that route failed, the group emailed advertisers claiming to represent widespread public opposition and threatening boycotts.
“We explained this was not true and we had support within the community, but if one site is causing them hassle, advertisers will just find another one,” Tyrer said. “That hits us in the pocket.”
The stakes are high. Everything the club offer is under threat if advertisers take fright.
“Everyone involved in community-based sport will know finances are always on a knife edge,” Tyrer said. “The screens gave us some security in order to plan. If the screens go down it would kill that financial stream and ultimately the club.”
So, Rosslyn Park have launched a counter petition to prove they command the support of the community. Within two weeks, it has attracted more than 9,000 signatures; by contrast the original petition received 500 in two years. England fly-half Cipriani has already lent his backing.
“Rosslyn Park was what made my weekends fun,” he said. “The club and coaches formed a great group of kids which I am still very good friends with. I’ll be forever grateful to Rosslyn Park and the parents involved.”
More support is needed, otherwise English rugby’s most fertile breeding ground will be rendered extinct.