People caught in delays coming into the village said it was ‘chaos’ but the club says it’s a “small price to pay” for the green space
The sports club that organised a car boot sale causing two-hour traffic delays says the abuse in response has been “beyond”. People should be grateful if all they have got to moan about is congestion, said Kelly Alderman from Sully Sports and Social Club.
She warned the club would not be able to survive without the income from the car boot sales and the large green space would be lost to the village. Long traffic jams were a small price to pay for keeping the pitches and green space for community use and for sport for children and adults.
People were furious after huge delays and congestion coming in and through the village in the Vale of Glamorgan on Sunday morning. Buses, motorists and residents were stuck in the gridlock as hundreds of people descended on the popular car boot sale.
People caught in the delay said it was “absolute chaos” and “utterly ridiculous”. The narrow road was like a car park as people queued to set up stall at the first car boot sale of the year at the club. You can read our report on that here
Kelly Alderman, who runs the club house with Paul Curtis and was speaking on behalf of the club, apologised for the congestion. But she said traffic jams were a small price to pay to keep the club afloat. She said that without the income from car boot sales , about 14 of which are held between May and September, the club would close and the site likely go to housing developers.
Although the club owns most of the 40-acre site, alongside which the Wales Coast Path runs, around 12 acres are owned by local businessmen, she said. They bought it a few years ago from St Modwen’s, a company which had hoped but failed to get planning permission to build on.
Kelly claimed that if the club folded the prime location site, looking out across the Severn Estuary, would most likely be sold and developed and the whole community would lose the green space. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here
“Apologies to everyone who was affected. It happens every year on the first boot sale. New volunteers every year learning the ropes and the abuse they take is beyond,” she said.
“Every penny goes back into the grounds to provide the amazing green space and playing fields we are lucky to have on our doorsteps. If anyone has any positive suggestions on how to maintain this amazing space without the revenue from boot sales it would be greatly appreciated.
“Sadly, without the crazy boot sales the grounds won’t survive and we will be looking at yet another concrete jungle where the ones who can afford to buy prime real estate on a stunning coastline will benefit and then what’s left for the rest of the community?“No-one is lining their pockets the club has historically run at a loss for years: we are desperately holding onto probably one of the last green spaces this village has to offer.“Any constructive criticism is greatly received. We really are so grateful to those in the community who have reached out to us today and thanked us for fighting so hard to keep the grounds going. For every negative comment there’s seems to be two or more positive so thank you each and everyone of you.”
Kelly pointed out that the sports club ground is open to all and is a huge community resource. It includes indoor and outdoor bowls pitches, a petanque pitch, a 4G sports pitch, a full size football pitch, a rugby training field as well as around six other pitches, all looking out to sea on a beautiful site.
There is a club for people with dementia, a community library which the club charges a peppercorn rent to be based there and food outlets. As well as this the grounds are open to walkers and dog walkers with local sports clubs and football fixtures based there.
“I don’t think people realise how the club works,” said Kelly, “The land was gifted to the club by Barry Plastics many years ago on a 125 year lease, of which I think about 96 remain.. That covenant stays in place while sports are provided here. The club is allowed to use it for a peppercorn rent under the covenant.”
If the club closes sport on site would stop, she warned. Kelly said the club pays rent to the business people who own 12 acres of the site, but nothing is to stop them also trying to sell it or apply for permission to build in it in future.
“If they got planning permission or sold it they coudn’t kick us off but those 12 acres run right across out site and the 4G pitch and the coast path.
“This site is a huge community facility. We have a covenant from Barry Plastics that we can have it as long as sports are provied on it. The entire estate is run by volunteers, the commitee and club members.
“Traffic jams are a small price to pay for the benefit of this site. There has been so much development in and around Sully. “
Kelly added that many of those selling and buying at the car boot sales are affected by the cost of living crisis.
“Not everyone is lucky to live in such a beautiful village with an incredible coastline. Each seller is there to earn money to feed their family each buyer is there because they need a bargain the cost of living crisis is still very real for soo many people.
“Can we please be grateful that we have a roof over our heads food in our belly’s and if all we got to moan about is congestion 14 times a year (that’s our limit) then we are blessed!
