Dartford Heath is on the verge of losing its football ground status as the changing rooms are vandalised in yet another incident that argues the safety of the pitches.
Even though there are no problems with the football pitches on Dartford Heath, there will be no football being played there for the rest of the season as the changing rooms have been severely damaged to such a state that they are deemed 'unsafe'.
Dartford Heath homes over 20 different football clubs and has done for over 15 years, however, work is now underway to try and save the grounds footballing status at it was severely vandalised.
Football clubs who usually play on the Heath have been told to look for a new place to play they home fixtures up until the end of the season regardless of how good the state of the pitches are.
Joe Daly is the player/manager for Ridgeway Darts FC who are one of a number of teams that play they home matches on the Heath and he is 'very annoyed' about the situation.
He said: "It's ridiculous how such a small minority of people can ruin something for so many, it has made everything so much harder. Granted we do now have another place to play but it is miles away from anyone, the pitches aren't half as good and we have to just make do now until next season. It's so annoying."
Dartford Heath homes over 20 different football clubs and has done for over 15 years, however, work is now underway to try and save the grounds footballing status at it was severely vandalised.
Football clubs who usually play on the Heath have been told to look for a new place to play they home fixtures up until the end of the season regardless of how good the state of the pitches are.
Joe Daly is the player/manager for Ridgeway Darts FC who are one of a number of teams that play they home matches on the Heath and he is 'very annoyed' about the situation.
He said: "It's ridiculous how such a small minority of people can ruin something for so many, it has made everything so much harder. Granted we do now have another place to play but it is miles away from anyone, the pitches aren't half as good and we have to just make do now until next season. It's so annoying."
However, this is not the first time that Dartford Heath has come under fire from critics regarding the safety of the pitches. The wooded area surrounding the pitches has been a notorious home for a number of sexual incidents in recent times, causing continual problems for the police.
The Heath is known as a meeting place of sexual deviants, most noticeably being the scene where 44 year old, married father of two, Colin Birch, committed suicide in a sex game involving two prostitutes.
However, Chris Dalton, head grounds man of Dartford Heath pitches, believes that what happens away from the pitches should have no affect on football being played on the heath.
He said: “The current situation we are in is causing us a lot of problems and unfortunately there will be no football being played on the Heath for the rest of the season. It’s typical that a small bunch of idiots can cause so much disappointment.
“I don’t think that these stories of what happens around these parts should affect the football going ahead here, why should it? Even though we are all aware of what happens round the corner it has never made my job any tougher.”
Yet despite the positive words from Chris Dalton, this latest act of vandalism on the Heath does operate as another strike against the suitability Dartford Heath maintains as a footballing home.
Barnehurst Golf Course re-development continues to stall
The once council run course, was taken over my golf giants MyTime Golf in 2008 who promised a makeover for the run down course, with a new driving range, teaching academy and a complete new lay out to the course being high on the agenda. However, two years later and none of the above have been started with the only obvious change coming in the raise in cost to play the course.
Barnehurst golf course has often come under criticism for its condition and its difficulty with some describing it as a ‘glorified pitch and putt’ course. These views that are shared with Barnehurst faithful, Paul Spinks, who has described the increase in costs as ‘criminal’.
He said: “I learnt to play at Barnehurst and play there countless amounts of times each year, even though it is only a nine hole course and it isn’t the most attractive of courses, it is a nice place to play. But unfortunately if the prices stay as they are, I won’t be playing there much more.
“It use to cost me £10 a round, now they are charging me £15, and I don’t see why, the course hasn’t changed in anyway, I’m not getting anything more for my money.”
Spinks continued “being situated in Kent we are lucky because there are so many golf courses around here, I can quite easily drive 15 minutes down the road to another, better, course, and pay less for the privilege.
Amanda Sharpe, Manager at Barnehust golf course, has played down the disgruntled reactions from the local players and has reassured them that the price change will show worthwhile in the long run.
"Understandably, those who play the course on a regular basis and have played through the price change are going to be annoyed but they must understand it is for the best of the course and that in the current economic climate, unfortunately we have know alternative.
"Yeah the work load is going slow but it is a long process and it is proving longer than we initially first thought. But we are still very optimistic about the future of the course and those who do play the course on a regular basis will see the vast improvements."
Amanda Sharpe, Manager at Barnehust golf course, has played down the disgruntled reactions from the local players and has reassured them that the price change will show worthwhile in the long run.
"Understandably, those who play the course on a regular basis and have played through the price change are going to be annoyed but they must understand it is for the best of the course and that in the current economic climate, unfortunately we have know alternative.
"Yeah the work load is going slow but it is a long process and it is proving longer than we initially first thought. But we are still very optimistic about the future of the course and those who do play the course on a regular basis will see the vast improvements."
