Since my update in September regarding our facilities, we’ve been working diligently to implement our short-term facilities strategy. This latest update focuses on the North-West Quadrant (NWQ) and the west side of the North Stand (yellow seats).
Our original goal was to secure certification to reopen the NWQ and north-west yellow seats for our Boxing Day fixture, which would add an extra 1,400 seats for home supporters. However, drawing Charlton Athletic in the Emirates FA Cup First Round provided an opportunity to expedite the works, enabling us to increase our away capacity for this match and generate additional revenue by raising the usual away allocation of 815 in the north-east blue seats section.
Today, we received sign-off on the works from the Southend Council and Essex Police, allowing us to provide Charlton with an additional 1,100 tickets.
Going forward, we’ll return the NWQ and NW (yellow seats) sections to home fans, with full details coming soon. Supporters can look forward to refurbished toilets, refreshed facilities, a new bar, and an enhanced food selection provided by Eat Street.
We recognise that other areas of the stadium also need upgrades, and we are committed to continually improving all stands.
The completed works will increase our stadium capacity from 8,500 to nearly 10,000; a significant boost for the Club.
A huge thank you to Bernadette Bowden of Southend City Council, Keith Baker of Essex Police, Mick Maddocks at Emersons, Alan Reeve of Complete Construction, Ross Ebner and RCE Garden & Property Maintenance, and Michael Day at Solopress, along with their respective teams. Their collective efforts were instrumental in securing the necessary approvals.
Tom Lawrence
CEO
