West Lancashire and the Southport and Preston areas now have new facilities available in the form of all weather football pitches at Station Road in Hesketh Bank.
Tonight, Tuesday 24th February 2009 saw the opening of the pitches with games between Southport's Birkdale United and Skelmersdale's Polaris JFC at Under 8's and Under 9's.
The seven a side games used all of the pitches for a series of matches.
Aerial shot of the pitches.
The pitches are normally set for five a side with three individual pitches but can also be played combined for seven a side games.
This new development is by the owners of 3G All Weather Football Ltd & Isherwood Investments Ltd, Mark and Sally Atkinson. Their son George plays junior football for Polaris JFC and they were well aware that facilities have been unavailable in the surrounding areas for football teams, soccer schools and schools in general.
Hesketh Bank Football Club and Ernie Wignall first approached the owners about the possibility of using the land at Hesketh Bank for such a facility. The new owners then approached Taylor Contractors and Envirolawn Sports to build a state of the art Football Facility of which they are all very proud to be involved with and when the project is completely finished with the club house, a gym, and changing facilities it will no doubt be of benefit to all.
Mark and Sally Atkinson of Isherwood Investments Ltd and 3G All Weather Football Ltd with their other son Harry.
Tonights opening matches were between teams from Birkdale United and Polaris JFC.
Birkdale United team sponsored by Paul Gaskell roofing
Polaris JFC team sponsored by Ainscough Properties Ltd and Direct Hygiene Ltd.
The new facilities are open from 9am to 10pm seven days a week - whatever the weather. Bookings may be made online from their website
www.3gallweather.co.uk or by freephone 0800 612 6472. All the pitches are floodlit.
The superior advanced XPS synthetic grass surface offers outstanding playing characteristics with a sand / rubber infill specifically designed for football and five a side centres.
Southport company Envirolawn were there for the opening and kindly provided the referee for the night. Pictured here are (l to r) Taylor Contractors, Graham Rowlands from Envirolawn, owner Mark Atkinson, and Paul Fish (electricians).
From early bookings and interest it looks likely that the new facilities will be very popular with local football teams and schools.
