Licensed safe standing in UK top-flights

Article posted by Coliseum, May 25^th, 2022

Image: MJR Group Ltd./Coliseum

There will be licensed standing in seated areas (in selected stadiums) within the United Kingdom – the Sports Minister, Nigel Huddleston – announced on May 24^th.

The ‘Border Telegraph’ stated that all clubs in the top two tiers of English football could be allowed to introduce licensed safe standing areas next season.

Huddleston said he was minded to change the existing all-seater policy to enable all Premier League and Sky Bet Championship clubs to introduce safe standing sections under strict conditions, following a pilot involving five clubs in the second half of the current campaign.

The ‘Border Telegraph’ further stated that a firm decision is subject to a final independent evaluation of the pilot confirming the findings of an interim report, the Minister said.

Added Huddleston, “The Government’s approach has been driven by safety considerations throughout and this will continue to be our priority. We are not complacent about spectator safety, nor are we complacent about the safety policies that have served spectators well for many years. We will continue to work closely with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, football clubs, the football governing bodies, and local authorities to ensure that spectator safety remains paramount.”

The move comes at a time when crowd safety and management are in the spotlight following a series of pitch invasions at end-of-season games in the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL).

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