A FORMER cricket club has joined forces with a neighbouring football club and is aiming to forge more links with the Bolton business community.

Heaton Cricket Club has now become Heaton Sports Club and has so far invested £20,000 in a new patio area to kick-start an ambitious plan to become a giant sports village.

Long-term plans may include the extension of the Lower Pools clubhouse off Church Road, following its amalgamation with Moss Bank Junior Football Club next door.

Bosses at the new club are hoping to the new patio will encourage more businesses to use the clubhouse’s function room and patio for their events.

Bolton-based furniture frame manufacturer Formston Evans and local accountancy firm Cowgill Holloway – also a major sponsor of the club – have both used Heaton’s facilities for their Christmas events.

Axa Insurance and Keoghs have also played cricket matches against each other.

Now, chairman Graham McGreavy wants the club to continue to build on its links with the business community.

“We want to the club to become a massive sports village for the local community,” he said. “The more we can bring businesses on board the better. Now we have the patio, our function facilities should be a very attractive proposition for events.

“The value of the patio has been underlined recently by the beautiful weather which has brought many more people into the club.

“The great thing is youngsters who play cricket can now access football and vice versa, and this stands to benefit the area hugely.”

Cowgill Holloway partner Andy Ball is a club committee member and his teenage sons Matt and Joe play cricket for Heaton.

He said: “We realise we’ve got to attract as many people as we can.

“Cricket has not got the biggest following in the world as far as participation is concerned.

“Want to get as many people using the facilities as possible. It’s really important for the long-term future of the club.”