Edgbaston Cricket Ground to become COVID-19 test centre for NHS staff

Warwickshire County Cricket Club are a longstanding client of the firm, and we are advising the Club on the development of the Edgbaston Cricket Stadium. Given the Club wished to make their land available without charge to the Government to help with the fight against COVID-19, Gowling WLG wanted to play its part in supporting that cause and Robert Caddick volunteered his services to provide support on the leases. No costs were associated with the transaction.

The Edgbaston Cricket Ground car park will be used to create a drive-through COVID-19 testing station, which will be used to regularly test NHS staff. Staff with symptoms will get "tested promptly" to see whether they can continue caring for patients where possible and also protect themselves and their families against the virus. This is part of the government's drive to conduct 100,000 tests-a-day by the end of April 2020.

Real Estate partner Nisha Jassal said : "We are pleased to have been able to help the Club in making their land available. Given the speed in which the COVID-19 situation is developing, we had to move very quickly to advise on the terms, reverting to the Government's legal department within 24 hours, to enable the site to be opened up. We are proud to have helped in some small way with the fight against this pandemic."