Quorn Village Hall was ‘packed to the rafters’ as many villagers were left outside unable to take part in the meeting. Feelings ran high as the village unanimously opposed the stated intent of the current landowners, the Thomas Rawlins Educational Foundation, to sell Quorn’s Cricket Field for development into a housing estate. The moral argument was won early on in the meeting when full support was given to Quorn Action Committee’s ‘Vision for Caves Field’, and the Campaign to Save Caves Field.

Quorn Action Committee, a village group co-ordinating the campaign, unveiled the proposal which in outline, buys the land from the Thomas Rawlins Educational Foundation creating a superb village recreation area combining facilities for the Cricket Club, Scouts and Guides and other local groups. The proposal encompasses the Foundation’s aims and duties as well as satisfying the local Government’s requirement for recreational areas to the west of the A6 in Quorn. Keith Croysdale’s booming address was met with tumultuous applause.

Loughborough MP Andy Reed, a resident of Quorn, added his voice to the campaign and endorsed the ‘Vision for Caves Field’ in a well received speech. Jonathon Hale speaking for the Borough of Charnwood Planning Department defined the approved usage of the land as recreational and pointed out the near impossible task for any prospective property developer to gain planning permission for housing on Caves Field. Henry Doyle read a statement on behalf of the Trustees of the Thomas Rawlins Educational Foundation espousing disputed legal opinion, this was not welcomed at the meeting. Ivan Bexon explained Quorn Parish Council’s desire to see Caves Field sold to the village and kept as a recreational area for the village in perpetuity.

John Hutchinson, Chairman of Quorn Parish Council, expertly chaired the speakers who were: Ivan Bexon, Quorn Parish Council; Jonathon Hale, Director of Planning, Borough of Charnwood Council; Henry Doyle, Legal Representative, Thomas Rawlins Educational Foundation; Keith Croysdale, Chairman, Quorn Action Committee and Andy Reed, MP for Loughborough.

The Players

The Quorn Village Website