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Green light for retractable seating


Filed: Saturday, 12th November 2011
By: Staff Writer

Karren Brady has revealed plans for retractable seating for the Olympic Stadium - should West Ham win tenancy of the venue.

It has long been hoped that the club could find some way of covering the unacceptable distance between the stands and the pitch, in the event of West Ham moving to Stratford post the 2012 Olympic Games.

And for the first time Brady, speaking in her column for the Sun revealed that plans were now in place for retractable seating.

"Members in the London Assembly are sceptical about viewing football in the new Olympic Stadium," she said. "I've heard the comment dozens of times before. But whereas the public don't have access to plans for the 2014 occupation by a football club — hopefully West Ham — members do.

"And if they had taken the time to look they would have seen that the design engineers have a solution by placing fans in retractable seats right up to the touchlines, if required, to provide a fantastic football solution whilst maintaining the track perfectly for athletics.

"That wasn't possible in stadiums like the old Wembley but technology and the world moves on."


Rolling stock: Melbourne's Etihad Stadium, with it's retractable lower tier could provide the template for the OS

Brady's claims have since been backed by co-chairman David Gold, who told his followers on Twitter this morning that "there will be some form of retractable seating".


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Your Comments


by qwerty
05:50PM 13th Dec 2011
''The thing to query here would be how many seats can be moved closer to the pitch? Can all 60,000 seats be moved closer or would it only be a select few? If its only a select few it doesn't really solve the problem at all.

Also, for those seats that are moved closer, would they be covered by a roof? I can't imagine I'd look forward to a new stadium where you have to watch in the rain.''

by West Ham Fan No32
12:29AM 14th Nov 2011
''Good news if true. I will miss the Boleyn but it hasn't been the same atmosphere for many years now, all the original redevelopments moving the pitch etc, I can honestly say I prefer away games for atmosphere and support. If we get the OS it will be a chance to start afresh, wipe the slate clean of the Icelandic debacle and create some positive new memories.''

by Tell how it is Charlie!
08:28PM 12th Nov 2011
''Is all this retractable seating going to be covered by a roof? Or is the roof of the stadium going to be retractable too, like Wimbledon? God help all the spectators when it's blowing a gale and driving rain! A stadium without a cover can be a pretty lifeless place too!''

by g portugal
03:45PM 12th Nov 2011
''If retractable seating is feasible it would certainly address one of the major concerns that supporters have about the move. If successful,this is a good example of technology solving what would have been a nearly impossible problem 20/30 years ago.''

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