Local authority force Championship club to reduce capacity amid healthy and safety concerns
Post Office Road, home to Featherstone Rovers
Championship outfit Featherstone Rovers have been forced to close a stand and reduce their capacity until further notice by the local authority due to serious health and safety concerns.
Post Office Road, which is currently recognised as the Millennium Stadium for sponsorship purposes, has been Fev‘s home since they were founded in 1908.
The ground itself pre-dates the club by four years having been opened in 1904, and has a capacity of 6,954.
But, concerningly, that capacity has now been cut due to the closure of the Railway Stand on the request of both Wakefield Council and the emergency services on the grounds of health and safety.
Local authority force Championship club to reduce capacity amid healthy and safety concerns
Featherstone – who sit fifth on the Championship ladder – confirmed the news of the stand closure and reduced capacity with a statement published on their club website on Friday morning.
Paul Cooke’s side host Widnes Vikings this weekend, and also have Oldham coming to town before the ‘regular’ campaign concludes.
Their statement reads: “Following continued dialogue with Wakefield Council and the emergency services, the club have been asked to implement the following stadium health and safety measures with immediate effect.
- Temporary closure of the Railway Stand. This is due to Fire Safety concerns about storage and workshop units located underneath the stand.
- Mandatory wrist-banding of spectators who stand on the Post Office Terrace to ensure spectator levels remain within the reduced capacity set by the Council of 360.
- A general reduction in capacity at the Millennium Stadium whilst the necessary improvements are put in place around the Stadium.
“Supporter safety is paramount for the club. Therefore, we positively embrace the advice given to us by the authorities.
“Meetings are planned to work with the appropriate agencies to ensure the necessary improvements are put in place to resolve these matters as quickly as possible.
“We apologise for any inconvenience which these short-term measures will cause our supporters.”
This season’s highest attendance so far at Post Office Road came against Championship leaders York in April when a crowd of 2,800 watched on.
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