How Mytholmroyd CC bounced back from a collapsed ceiling

In January 2025, Mytholmroyd Cricket Club discovered a burst pipe had flooded their pavilion and caused the roof to cave in.

Don’t worry, it’s a happy outcome and we’ll dive into the process with Howden, the ECB’s insurance partner, who the Calderdale village club were insured with.

The reason for sharing this journey is to help cricket clubs reviewing their insurance to understand the process of a claim and how it can ultimately be successful.

It’s not about doom-mongering. Unfortunately – and I hope your club never experiences it – but sometimes significant damage and a costly claim can happen.

Here at Cricket Yorkshire, we’ve partnered with Howden for years to share cricket-specific advice to assist club committees. Let’s dive into Mytholmroyd’s story…

Mytholmroyd CC had not been a client with Howden more than a few months when the water damage meant they had an urgent claim for repairs.

They quickly reported the claim to Howden to start the process (always a smart move) and that led to collating the evidence of the damage incurred.

Once a club has provided documentation such as photos of damage, repair quotes, and proof of ownership/valuation then, depending on the extent of the damage and level of claim, there might be (as in this case), a visit from a loss adjuster to verify the damage.

In addition, Mytholmroyd Cricket Club required payment for ‘Business Interruption’ (the club had insurance cover for lost income and operational expenses), with the venue unsuitable for events and normal use.

As an insurance broker with particular cricket club know-how, what Howden provides is negotiation and advocacy, on behalf of clubs pursuing a claim to get the full amount.

In the case of Mytholmroyd, Howden successfully argued against the club having to pay an excess sum upfront. They also clarified with the insurer that Mytholmroyd CC did indeed have cover for Business Interruption and should be remunerated accordingly.

Mytholmroyd’s principal communication was with the loss adjustor who organised the debris clearance, including damaged electrical goods, via a third party. The cricket club were able to claim for the extra costs associated with the drying out process.

Highbury Homes were tasked with repairs to the internal structure and dance floor. Bills for electrical goods, decorators and carpets were settled straight away.

The target of being fully restored for the first game of the season was set and it was achieved with the help of all the contractors.

Club Treasurer Jon Russell said of Howden’s support: “It was always ‘how can we help you?’ They never queried anything.”

He also told me that their cricket club had made substantial savings by switching cricket insurance to Howden. As the ECB’s insurance partner, Howden can offer clubs public liability insurance which dramatically reduced the cost of their policy:

“Our insurance bill halved by going with Howden!”

In the case of Mytholmroyd’s pavilion damage, they had a successful claim in excess of £40,000 by October 2025. Long before then, the repairs had been completed so that the cricket club was back in use and very much open for business in time for the 2025 season.

I visited for the Halifax League T20 Finals Day last season and chatted to committee member Glenn Kershaw about the way the club has bounced back from adversity since, developed its facilities and playing opportunities.

Where I sheltered from rain under a gazebo, they now have two-lane outdoor nets installed. Meanwhile, a full complement of junior teams for the first time ever from U9 to U18, women’s sides and a pair of Saturday teams in the Halifax Cricket League demonstrates the growth of the club members.

The friendly club are always evolving and have one eye on creating an enclosed outdoor social area for spectators. Many of whom will flock back to their Ewood Holmes base, in the shadow of Scout Rock, for the T20 Finals Day that they’re hosting again.

A final bit of advice from Jon comes with their grounds developments. They have a relatively new scoreboard (looks superb surrounded by flowers and shrubs) and the aforementioned nets.

He made the point that your club’s insurance policy has to reflect any upgrades for their full cost to ensure adequate cover in the event of an emergency – after all, their committee would know!

Following an eventful 2025 due to that water leak, the pavilion’s room hire is welcoming bookings for parties, meetings and events, while the cricket season creeps enticingly near.

Get in touch with Howden

If you’re a cricket club reviewing its insurance over the coming year, you can get a free, no-obligation quote from Howden and also have a chat to see how they can help.

Howden’s expertise in helping clubs with bespoke cricket insurance is considerable. As the ECB’s cricket insurance partner for the recreational game, all registered clubs receive Public Liability, Employers’ Liability, Professional Indemnity, Directors’ and Officers’ Liability and Cyber Liability.

t: 01883 868521

e: [email protected]

w: Request a Quote from Howden

This is Partner Content for Howden – if the mood takes you, click to read Cricket Yorkshire’s policy on Partner Content.