Cost of Living

 

The rise in the cost of living. We've all seen it, experienced it. A lot of the time those increasing their prices have tried to justify their decisions with reasons, or perhaps excuses, blaming a supplier or the price of raw materials and throwing words to do with Brexit or the Pandemic into the mix, as though that would soften the blow of the price hike to the consumer.


I dread to discover the price of a simple cup of tea from the numerous outlets at Trent Bridge this season but I'm sure it's because of the rise in the cost of electricity and those luxury items needed to make the tea, like milk and water. One thing for sure, the price of that cup of tea will have gone up by more than the rate of inflation since the pandemic.


One hidden cost to members attending Trent Bridge, that has certainly raced away ahead of inflation since 2020, is the charge to park your car at Lady Bay Sports Ground. For those unaware, the facilities at Lady Bay include a disused tennis court or two which on match days the cricket club charge spectators to park their cars on. It makes sense to keep cars from clogging up street parking, annoying the locals etc and to raise a few quid for the coffers in the process. The only cost to the club, the services of one steward.


Members were charged a nominal fee of a pound which doubled around the time of the Pandemic (the year before or the year after I think). In 2022 the price to park your car on their disused tennis court, which otherwise would have been empty and neglected, for members was hiked another pound to £3. This year the charge has again increased by a pound for members to £4. Non-members will be charged £6.


You might point out that at other county grounds the price to park your car on match days is often more than £6, but then at those grounds, members can buy a parking ticket for the whole season. I'm told that that is no longer an option at Notts. In the case of other counties, the car park is usually at the actual ground itself with no need to take life and limb into your own hands to cross 6 lanes of often busy, hassled traffic.


Yes parking for football is also often more expensive than £6, but at football you are as good as guaranteed play will take place, not so with cricket.


I'm not aware of the "rates" in Rushcliffe increasing quite so astronomically but what could the ratable value for a disused tennis court be anyway; so what could the justification be for yet another increase in car parking? They've certainly made parking on the street more inviting or a County Hall in those few visitor spaces.


You can be certain that the steward won't be being paid an extra 33% this year than last or be paid 400% more than 5 years ago and can be sure that the extra funds won't be pumped back to Lady Bay to improve cricket's spectator facilities there.


How many cars can you fit on your drive Lisa, I bet you could bleed a few more punters of cash there too?