Twickenham aims to boost number of gigs

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Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, London is looking to boost the number of concerts it can hold a year to 15, making it a music venue rival to Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and London Stadium.

And the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has launched a survey for the local community to give their views on the proposals.

The RFU wants to modernise the stadium, much of which hasn’t been upgraded since the ’90s and the new gigs are part of a masterplan that will help fund a £500 million renovation of Twickenham.

The 82,000-capacity Twickenham Stadium in Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England (UK) is a rugby union stadium owned by the Rugby Football Union, the English rugby union governing body which has its headquarters there.

Twickenham is currently allowed to put on three concerts a year, each with a capacity of 55,000 and expanding this to 15 gigs with 82,000 capacity will require permission from Richmond Borough Council.

By contrast Tottenham can host 30 non-football events per year, while Wembley is allowed 24.

The RFU said in a statement, “The stadium provides the RFU with 90% of its revenues, with all profits reinvested into the game of rugby across England, from grassroots right up to our national teams, and more locally in our surrounding communities across Richmond and Hounslow.

“Like all stadia of its age, Allianz Stadium needs a level of continual investment and refurbishment. However, with the pitch and stands remaining empty for as many as 340 days a year, we must seek other revenue streams to make these improvements whilst continuing to invest in the game.”

The RFU stressed that it is currently limited to hosting no more than three concerts per year, each with a significantly reduced capacity, with two required to be on a Saturday and no single act able to play across three consecutive days.

It added, “To deliver the revenue we need, we estimate that over the coming years we need to increase this to 15 per year. We are also looking at the capacity of these events and when they can be held.

“Increasing the number of event days would also allow us to invest further in improving the game day experience for local residents and make the stadium more of a community asset.”

There will inevitably be a backlash against the proposals from local residents concerned about the thought of more than an extra 1.2 million fans turning up in their neighborhood.

But the RFU can take heart from the Greater London Authority’s decision to allow the expansion of Wimbledon to go ahead.

Launching the consultation, the RFU added, “We want to hear the views of our local communities as we also begin speaking to Richmond and Hounslow councils, Transport for London, South Western Railway and other key stakeholders.

“This is just the first step in this journey and we hope as many people will get involved and share their thoughts on Allianz Stadium, both now and for the future.”

The survey is open until November 1.

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