THE Minister for Culture, Media and Sport visited Lancashire Cricket Club’s Old Trafford ground.


Sajid Javid MP took a tour of the Talbot Road ground last week to see LCC-led development of the area, which resulted in a new Tesco supermarket, Stretford Sports Village and the redevelopment of the ground itself.


Mr Javid was accompanied by Trafford Council leader, Sean Anstee, chief executive of Trafford Community Leisure Trust, Bernie Jones and the headteacher of Stretford High School, James Haseldine.


The Bromsgrove constituency MP answered questions on a variety of topics, including the recent announcement that Old Trafford will not be hosting a 2015 ashes test.


Mr Javid emphasised that Government ministers do not influence such decisions, but argued that the decision was made before development had taken place at the ground and although the ashes are ‘hugely important’ for the game of cricket, ‘a lot more goes on here than the ashes’.


And the MP was full of praise for the development itself: “I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen here today, I’m a proud Lancastrian and I’m very proud of what I’ve seen here today and what it shows us about when the public sector comes together with the private sector and what can be achieved.”