As part of a number of articles describing what it takes to operate the Festival at the Park the latest concentrates on the plans that have to be made by a section of Derbyshire CCC staff to ensure things run smoothly

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to turn a public park into a secure 5,000 capacity cricket venue. The cricket venue must comply with the increasingly complex raft of health & safety, hygiene, licensing and other conditions. A comprehensive set of risk assessments must be completed prior to the venue being operated and these will be scrutinised by a number of relevant organisations.

This ‘mission’ is accepted annually by Jamie Guthrie, the DCCC Head of Venue Operations. John Windle caught up with Jamie at the Incora County Ground-and asked him about his annual ‘Chesterfield Challenge’.

The work on the Festival starts in October when DCCC request the ECB to include in their fixture planning a week where there is a County Championship match and a T20 match. This was always difficult and limits the timing of the Festival but with the current calendar it is not getting any easier. It probably restricts the possible dates to a couple of blocks within the season.

Once the dates are agreed then initial plans and paperwork have to be drawn up by Jamie and the DCCC Safety Officer.

It is then the time to start booking facilities for the dates arranged. Most of the equipment and other resources are hired in and prices and availability have to be obtained. Jamie likens the process to moving house multiplied by a factor of ten. He states ‘we have to obtain quotes for PA systems, fencing , barriers, marquees, portable toilets, seating. Once we agree a price and availability we have to plan the arrival times of all the equipment and ensure we have staff on site to deal with these as they arrive’. Examples of numbers involved – 130 crowd barriers,150 Fence Panels-and 4000 seats.

We also have to supplement any ground equipment that may not usually be used at Queen’s Park. We’ve now been doing it for quite a few years and we have good contacts with the Council and CCC which have been established over the years, which makes life easier.’

After he’s ensured the marquees have arrived and the catering equipment and the Streaming Service works, Jamie has to liaise with the drinks and catering concessions that turn up the night before the festival and checks that the night-time security in place throughout the nights of the Festival period is all in order.

Jamie is present for all the Festival ensuring each day runs smoothly – ensuring he has the right number of stewards (around 60 for the T20 match) at the right place at the right time and they have been given venue instructions because some of them will be new to the ground.

Jamie reflects ‘Security at the Chesterfield T20 game is the hardest game we have to control during the season. We normally have a sell-out crowd with a larger than normal number of opposition spectators. This, in an outground which has not got the infrastructure available of a permanent venue presents additional challenges.’

Despite all the challenges that operating a festival at Chesterfield presents he is a big supporter. He says ‘Outgrounds are loved. A lot of people enjoy coming to Chesterfield, and even for some of our members, it will be the only matches they go to during the season. Crowds at outgrounds across the country are usually very large and often provide highest attendances for counties. It is becoming more difficult to comply with all ECB and local regulations as they, by necessity, increase yearly.’

Although this article is about Jamie, he is quick to acknowledge that the success of the Festival and his role within it, depends on ‘ a great team of staff’ putting in a lot of hours and effort in ensuring the right things happen at the right time.

Jamie commenced working for Derbyshire CCC on a full time basis in 2012. He and his family have been connected with Derbyshire club cricket for some considerable time. He started playing cricket at school, when football was his main sport, he went to cricket training at school for the first time one night and was asked who he played for – he said he didn’t play for anyone and was told to come down to the school on a particular evening as Swarkestone CC practiced there. He progressed through all the junior sides for his club and the county age group sides.

He played in the first team from the age of 15 eventually being appointed captain, when he steered them to their first Premier League title. For stats lovers – he played 284 games ,252 innings, total runs 7128 at an average of 32.70. His highest score of 140 was one of the 10 centuries he made for his club. What a great set of figures.

Away from work, Jamie and his wife, Natalie, have just had a recent addition to the family – a baby boy, George, who joins big sister, Amelia, aged four. He is happy that his family keeps him grounded and able to put work into perspective.

I think we owe a debt of gratitude to Natalie, Amelia and George as well as Jamie for all they do for us to provide us with such a highlight of our cricketing calendar – the Chesterfield Festival.