The ground at Raeburn Place is owned by the Edinburgh Academical Club (EAC), the alumni body for former pupils of the Edinburgh Academy. In 2008 EAC formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Raeburn Place Sport Limited (RPSL), to manage the ground on behalf of the Club. The objectives and duties of RPSL with regard to the ground (in terms of legal agreements) are that it is:
“……. to provide, encourage and promote sporting activities and social functions at Raeburn Place for the EAC’s rugby [EAFC] and cricket [EACC] clubs and the Edinburgh Academy, as well as to encourage use by the general public of the facilities at Raeburn Place and the promotion of the historic nature of Raeburn Place.”
The Edinburgh Academical Football Club (EAFC) and the Edinburgh Academical Cricket Club (EACC) were historically part of the EAC and were “closed” clubs, drawing their members exclusively from the former pupils of the Edinburgh Academy. This changed in the early 1970s when both clubs became “open”. Both clubs now have a diverse membership base.
BATs, a community based rugby club that provides youth rugby across north Edinburgh, was established at Raeburn Place in 2004. Many of the current players of the EAFC 1XV have come up through this youth development section and are former pupils of a number of local schools. The importance of BATs to the EAFC and the local community should not be underestimated.
EAFC and EACC are community inclusive clubs at all levels. The proposed development will only serve to enhance this by allowing greater access to sporting provision across the community.