Members often ask questions about the Club’s relationship with Play On and others re our bar, catering, facilities, Ground upkeep and development. Set out below are answers to FAQs which members will hopefully find interesting and helpful.

Members’ FAQs Answered

1. What is NMCC?
NMCC is a company limited by guarantee. It is also a Community Amateur Sports Club and as such is a strictly "not for profit" organisation. This means that any funds generated by the Club must be used for the benefit of the Club and its members.

2. Who runs NMCC?
NMCC is run by a Committee elected annually by Club members at the Annual General Meeting in January.
Four members of the Committee form the Executive Committee, empowered to run the Club on a day to day basis. They are -
Steve Edwards – Chairman
Rob Brand – Secretary
Sam Sheppard – Treasurer
Richard Nicoll - Junior Section Secretary.

3. What are NMCC’s sources of income and its annual expenditure?
NMCC’s income derives from membership subscriptions, match fees, grants from various sources, sponsorships (currently Dexters Estate Agents and Kiplings Restaurant), summer cricket camps for children, pitch hire fees and generous donations from members.
The Club’s annual expenditure currently runs at some £100,000, though this fluctuates considerably, one key variable being the level of expenditure on ground maintenance machinery.

4. Who owns the land and buildings?
NMCC holds the freehold of the entire premises.
Sports Club (UK) Limited (believed to be controlled by Greek investors) has a 125 year head lease of the entire premises until March 2125, granted by NMCC’s predecessors when they owned the freehold. Sports Club (UK) is currently selling its head lease to North Middlesex Investments Limited, a company owned by Mr Simcha Green and unconnected with NMCC.
Play On Sports Limited, a company owned by Chris Bennett and Callum Wear, has a sublease of the entire premises. This sublease runs initially to 2030 and is renewable thereafter for successive periods until the end of the 125 year term of the head lease. Play On pay rent under the sublease to Sports Club (UK), not to NMCC.
In granting consent to the creation of the sub lease, NMCC took control over the playing field and the nets.
Play On have sole control of and responsibility for the buildings, the terrace in front of them, the car park (and what is stored there) and the “top end”. They have converted part of the building into a crèche.

5. What facilities in the building must Play On provide to NMCC?
Play On are required to provide the changing rooms, showers and toilets.
They are also required to provide the use of the Club Room upstairs on match days, on Tuesday evenings and at other times by arrangement.

6. Who controls the bar?
Play On have sole control of the bar, including its staffing, opening hours and the prices and choice of drinks. They retain all bar revenues.
The Committee regularly conveys to Play On the views expressed by members regarding the functioning of the bar.

7. Who controls the catering arrangements for match days?
NMCC has arranged with Play On that NMCC has control of these. Currently the catering is outsourced to an experienced provider.
At our request, that provider delivers “meal deals” on Saturday nights - a dish of curry/chilli/ spiced chicken or similar plus salad/potatoes etc for a fiver. These were part of our plan to persuade more people to stay around and so create more of a buzz on Saturday nights. Our provider's willingness to do this is subject to selling enough meals to cover costs. Members (particularly those who buy in food from elsewhere) should be aware that, because of poor recent sales, the provider is likely to stop these meals. The message to members is to use this facility or lose it.

8. What does NMCC’s control of the playing field involve?
Play On are required to employ a groundsman, currently Brian ‘Oz’ Cohen.
NMCC purchases and maintains the rollers, mowers, pitch covers and other equipment needed to maintain the pitches and outfield to the high standard required of a Premier League club. Specialist contractors are engaged to renovate the squares and outfield before and after each season. Specialist contractors are also engaged to refurbish the nets.

9. Is the Club able to develop the top end if it had the money and planning consent?
No because, as noted, the top end is included in Play On’s sub-lease. It is also included in the Head lease so even when Play On’s sub-lease ends, any development would need co-operation from North Middlesex Investments Limited (assuming the latter’s purchase of the lease from Sports Club (UK) goes through).