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Admiral Lard 11:17 Wed Jun 22
Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Since it's reconfiguration from 80,000 Olympic Stadium to Football/Concert/Rugby/Athletics venue with 67,000 seats (Latest number since the West Stand redesign) West Ham United has had its use of stadium capacity restricted.

Initially (2016) we had use of up to 57,000 seats leaving 9,000 unused. In January 2019 the safety certificate for the maximum seats used was increased to 60,000.

We pretty much sell out every PL game even after the capacity increase.

April 2022 saw planning permission granted to increase maximum seats used to 62,500 though the safety certificate has yet to be issued. With Newham closing one section of ground (217?) due to persistent standing issues it's seems unlikely that certificate will be issued any time soon, despite the hope it would be in time for the new start of the 22/23 season.

What I do not understand and no one has been able to explain is why Newham are so reluctant to let us fill the ground. They were perfectly happy for 80,000 to attend each day of the Olympics.

The club are keeping pretty quiet about the whole thing and there is no method to ask the club directly that I am aware of.

Does anyone have any insight into this?

Mike Oxsaw 7:19 Fri Jun 24
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

WorldCupWilly 6:43 Fri Jun 24

Why can't they throw a station up where the railway runs alongside Carpenters Road and run football specials??

bruuuno 7:08 Fri Jun 24
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Nice one Willy son

WorldCupWilly 6:43 Fri Jun 24
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

We will be going up to 62,500 next season, but anything above that requires investment in the infrastructure.

They need additional catering facilities but the main thing is additional toilets. Gavros (RIP) posted a few times on here about how they could possibly build an upper floor to the toilets on the inside of the outer concourse and you would access them from half-way up the stairs. They are also now looking at putting additional facilities on the inside of Bridge 2 near the Olympic Bell. These would all be fenced off so that they could be used at half time.

The other thing is Stratford Station after the match struggling to cope. As part of the planning permission granted for the MSG Sphere, there's going to be a new entrance and ticket hall in Montfichet Road. We might have to wait until that's completed along with the toilets before we go above 62,500.

Steady 11:25 Thu Jun 23
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Crossed hammers - truth is we’d sell out over 67k plenty of times unlike Spurs who average lower attendances than us and le arse

REALGSA 10:44 Thu Jun 23
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Its a Labour led council. not just this but loads of other schemes in the pipeline and what they promised have not happened. They kicked so many people out of their homes and have done nothing with them in E16. Useless!

BRANDED 10:00 Thu Jun 23
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

I recon playing about 10 games we’d sell out 70,000+

brundal 9:44 Thu Jun 23
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Probably because no backhanders have been forth coming ( allegedly)
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/legacy-9781448217434/

Takashi Miike 1:16 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

crossed foreskins showing his true colours again

⚒️ 1:01 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Because they know we would never sell out 67k so are saving us the embarrassment.

scott_d 12:33 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

I'm in Block 217.

We got an email saying that we are being moved next season due to persistant standing.

This was sent to EVERYONE in the stand saying that they have CCTV evidence of persistant standing despite the fact that there are only sections that stand all game.

We were told that we would receive a phone call to arrange being re-seated elsewhere in the stadium.

No phone call or any form of communication since then and season ticket has been renewed online without any issues.

Still not entirely sure if they are going to let us in next season or not!

Hermit Road 12:04 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

That's a fair assessment. There were plenty of councillors and MPs in Newham that were streets ahead of him for decency.

southbankbornnbred 11:49 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Not a fan, Hermit?!

Hermit Road 11:40 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

In the cesspit environment that is the world of self-aggrandizing politicians, Robin Wales stood head and shoulders above all his peers. He's an absolute cunt of a man who despised the traditional working class population of the borough where he made his political career and fortune.

A better use for those unused seats would be to stick them up his arse sideways.

southbankbornnbred 11:32 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

Robin Wales, the old mayor of Newham, proposed that we could use that giant void between lower and upper tiers, as a bar to put pints on during games!

Now that is a proper suggestion from a politician.

southbankbornnbred 11:30 Wed Jun 22
Re: Why is the LB of Newham so reluctant to allow WHUFC to use the full capacity of the stadium?

It's a combination of factors, including safety, policing and stewarding.

For starters, the risk of fans attacking each other over Dina Asher-Smith's latest 200m win is low compared with letting our lads sit right next to Chelsea. Especially with the internal stewarding and policing arrangements.

Unlike with athletics, football also has a more mass mobile audience - lots of folk head for the bars at half-time, en masse, so you have to account for exits getting blocked at key times etc.

But it is all nuts. Everybody could quite easily sit around a table and hammer out an arrangement that would allow us to fill the place properly.

It's all HSE gone mad I tell ya!