Rec takes on London Stadium

The Rec is up against Premier League giants Manchester City and London Stadium - the home of West Ham for a national groundskeeping honour.

The team who maintain the famous piece of land in the centre of Bath, Glasshouse playing fields in Combe Down and The Orchard in Weston are finalists for the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards 2018’s Professional Multisports Ground/facility Team of the Year.

Sponsored by national governing bodies from the world of sport including the FA and RFU, the prize is for professional sports facilities which stage multi-sports and events and maintain the “highest standards while dealing with high and varied usage”.

Bath Rugby playing their home games there is only a small part of what takes place on the land managed by the charitable body Bath Recreation Ltd.

It is also home to a leisure centre, Bath Croquet Club, Bath Rugby Foundation and hosts other organisations including Bath Quidditch Club and Bath Drama Club.

Annual events include Bath Half Marathon, Bath Festival, Bike Bath, the RFU 7s tournament, Rotary Club of Bath fireworks displays and, last month, they had the honour of hosting the Minerva Owls exhibition.

Thousands of schoolchildren use the Rec-managed grounds across the city every year, all of which means a lot of work is needed to ensure the facilities are fit and ready to use.

David Cobb, pictured, who started as an apprentice groundsman with the council when he was 16, is the grounds manager who oversees it all, including the subcontracting required to keep everything tip top.

He said: “It’s a massive achievement to be nominated, especially with the weather we’ve had this year.

“In the spring we were under four inches of snow, then it barely rained all summer. We don’t have any watering systems on the Rec outfield so it’s been a real challenge.

“We’ve had a big increase in activity in recent years, as well as taking on the Glasshouse and Orchard at Broadmoor Lane, which is great.

“As a charity, we’re very proud to be recognised alongside sporting giants like Manchester City and the London Stadium. It’s a testament to the efforts of the whole team.”

Bath Rugby have their own groundstaff who look after the first-team pitch during the season, with Mr Cobb helping them out in the summer months.

The awards take place in Birmingham on October 31.