Swindon Town’s plans for renovation of the Nigel Eady County Ground have been made public for supporters.
The plans outlining the Don Rogers Stand’s anticipated renovation as part of the stadium’s March 2023 Joint Venture purchase.
Swindon has been looking to use the mezzanine that is already built into the stand to expand the stadium’s conference and hospitality offerings.
By upgrading the concourse and including additional features to improve the matchday experience for fans, the plans also look into better amenities for them in the stands.
The redevelopment, according to architects Anderson and Prescott, would include: multipurpose areas for community and commercial use; environmental infrastructure; and an improved matchday experience for all fans, including better seating, hospitality, and accessible facilities.
The proposal would add: a new façade for the stand; a new café bar area, including outdoor seating for matchdays; improved concourse and toilet facilities; a reception building in the front of the stand, which would be used by supporters and hospitality guests; and pitch-facing corporate boxes.
It is anticipated that both on match days and off-match days, the corporate facilities will contribute to higher revenue.
The Adver is aware that during the project, about 1,200 seats and 850 season ticket holders will be impacted. A letter informing those season ticket holders was sent to them last week.
The vision is explained in the design proposal:
“From the Magic Roundabout, one of the main entrances to the town, the Don Rogers stand provides the first view of the Nigel Eady County Ground.
“This aspect is currently a blank façade with a tree screen planted to conceal the stadium.
“We propose an iconic new Reception Building positioned centrally along this façade which will provide a welcoming new arrival experience for general admission fans, season ticket holders and hospitality guests.
“The Reception Building will accommodate a new fully glazed café / bar with an external spill out area for all fans to enhance their match day experience as well as new WCs and stairs and lifts to the upper levels.
“By opening up the ground floor in this way we are able to draw natural daylight into the concourse and significantly improve the pre and post match hospitality offer as well as the half time experience.
“At first floor level we are able to expand and configure the space available for hospitality into a more useable functional shape so that conferences and other functions can be catered for on match days and on non match days.
“Our future plans include a hotel sited in the south west corner which can connect directly into the hospitality suite to expand and improve the range of catering and conferencing offer we can provide.
“Subject to structural adaptations, a number of pitch view corporate boxes are positioned along the north side just above the steps to the lower concourse.
“These boxes along with the hospitality suite are vital to creating future revenue streams for the club.”
