Winning BP Press Release

Passing the Ball - BP completes the sale of Hamble’s ‘Social and Sports Club’ site to the Parish Council.

BP Hamble Oil Terminal has passed the ownership of its ‘Social and Sports Club’ on Hamble Lane to the Parish Council for a nominal fee. The sale has further cemented the company’s excellent relationship with the local community. The property presently consists of football pitches, buildings, parking and even a squash court.

Kate Cullen the Clerk of Hamble-le-Rice Parish Council said, “The organisations using these facilities will now be able to secure capital funding to develop the Scout HQ, the football and the squash facilities".

BP Oil UK’s legal expert Dave Roberts who was integral in ensuring the smooth handover said, “The Company is delighted that after almost 60 years the Club is now entering a new phase in its sporting history. BP has always been an active part of the Hamble community and we hope this will help create a better environment for future generations”.

Within Shell-Mex and B.P. which incorporated in 1932, Hamble Terminal was designated a major installation importing a range of petroleum products by ocean going tankers where its vast storage created a strategic reserve. As well as delivering by road tankers, it exported product by coasters to smaller depots, also by rail, and to military air bases, aviation fuel by pipeline.

It was thus a large employment centre with the numbers running into hundreds. In the 1950s, it was the practice to employ numerous craftsmen to operate what was a very manual labour intensive operation and maintain the plant and buildings; consequently this boosted the numbers directly employed by the Company.

Shell-Mex and BP originally purchased the grounds in 1952 after the Hamble employees requested a site for organised sport. The company handed over the use of the site to the ‘Social and Sports Club’, but retained the ownership, offering membership to all SMBP employees and their families. The members were responsible for all additional running and development costs, but the SMBP helped out where it could; the Club House was built from a redundant barrel shed at Hamble Terminal purchased from the Company for the sum of £1.

The Club flourished during the 1950s through to the early 1970s and new facilities such as squash courts were added. They fielded their own cricket and football teams but also it was very much a social centre. Some employees had their wedding reception at the Club. A notable event was the annual cricket match between Hamble and SMBP head office staff for the ‘LonHam Cup’. The cup was lathed from English Oak in 1946 presumably because metal was in short supply; and is named after the two teams, London and Hamble. This gave the opportunity for London staff involved in organising supplies and providing specialist services at this main installation to meet the Hamble staff socially all together at one major annual event.

However, with more automation, larger road tankers and the increased use of contractors, the trend was a continuing reduction in numbers of employees eligible for membership. To keep up numbers, the Club recruited associate

members who were not employees but who joined as being known to established members. By 1992, the membership, including associate members had dwindled to 50 but the trend of the facilities being used by a wider community, especially the squash courts, had already commenced.

After discussions in 1992 between the Social and Sports Club, Eastleigh Borough Council, Hamble Parish Council and BP, an agreement was reached which in effect absorbed the existing club within a new arrangement whereby the Parish Council took over the responsibility for looking after the facilities with separate associations from the local community having use of the buildings and grounds.

Photograph shows from left to right: Dave Roberts (BP Legal), Peter Alderman (BP Hamble Terminal Manager) passing the ball to Mike Davies (Chairman of Hamble Parish Council), Kate Cullen (Clerk of Hamble Parish Council) at the sports ground.

London and Hamble Team members in the 1950’s at the ‘LonHam’ cup cricket match, which was held annually at the Hamble ‘Social and Sports Club’. ENDS

February 2011This story was written by Anastasia Psarra who is studying BA (Hons) Public Relations and Communication at Southampton Solent University. Anastasia and her classmates visited BP Hamble in 2011 and her story was selected by BP as the best account of the handover of BP

Hamble’s ‘Social and Sports Club’ to Hamble-le-Rice Parish Council

Where possible please credit Anastasia Psarra as the author, thank you.