Turf Moor set for big changes

Last updated : 01 April 2005 By Tony Scholes

In a sensational move the land behind the stand, currently housing the Cricket Club will be set for retail outlets after the two clubs successfully applied for a change of use.

The worst news of all though is that the demolished stand will be replaced only by a small structure of around ten to a dozen rows to allow more space for the retail outlets. This will be similar to such as Selhurst Park and Hull City’s old Boothferry Park.

There are strong suggestions that a major sports retailer and a fast food outlet could be ready to move in and use much of the space currently taken up by the 36 year old stand, the oldest at Turf Moor.

It has been a major task getting the change of use through with the authorities initially adamant that there would be no change of policy that dictates the whole area should be retained for sporting use only.

The club approached its own hand-picked Supporters Consultation Group and explained that although it would not mean any extra money for the club it would allow for the home fans to be housed once again behind the goal in a new stand that could well be named the Richard Chaplow Stand given that his sale has allowed the deal to go ahead.

Chief Executive Dave Edmundson was both relieved and happy that it was all sorted and in a soon to be released press statement said, “The initial plan was to have a much larger new stand but this cost saving idea of a smaller structure came directly from the Supporters Consultation Group, which is a cross section of fans from all over the ground.”

He added, “Apart from big games Turf Moor is rarely full and a reduction in capacity of around 3,000 will not be a problem for much of the time. The big decision now is where to relocate the dressing rooms and the temporary arrangement could become permanent.

“Had the plan for the larger stand gone ahead they would once again have been housed there. But again I stress, that the idea of the smaller new stand for use by home fans is a result of the Supporters Consultation Group who made the point that any saving could become extra money for the manager.”

Ground director Clive Holt was thrilled to bits with the news and it was impossible to wipe the smile off his face. “The Burnley fans have wanted a return to that end of the ground. As our Chief Executive says, we are a customer focused club for its people and once again we have given them exactly what they want.”

It does leave a headache for Safety Officer Alex Wood as to where to place the away fans but Wood was too busy today trying to establish just why the floor surfaces in the Longside and Jimmy McIlroy Stands are slippier on days when it rains than on fine days.

So for much of next season at least Turf Moor will have supporters on three sides only, with it thought that the for the beginning of next season away fans will be allocated the first two blocks in the Bob Lord Stand at the old cricket field end.

For those of us who are cricket fans the news is not all bad for Burnley CC, they will groundshare with Lancashire League rivals Lowerhouse for part of the 2005 season but it is expected they will have a brand new home in 2006, news that we hear has delighted the Cricket Club’s board of directors and shareholders.