Heras Mobile Fencing & Security
(0)808 164 2250
Project: Premier League football club
Location: South of England
Sector: Sports stadia
Heras products: SR-rated fencing, SR-rated gates and solid sheeting
Main contractor: Football club – with a construction firm acting in a consultancy role
As part of plans to improve the experience for fans on matchdays, a Premier League football club has created new fan zones outside its stadium. The zones feature food and drink stalls and a playing area on land around the ground so that fans can congregate before and after each match, as well as at half-time.
These outdoor spaces are only accessible to fans who have entered the stadium via turnstiles and were created to ease congestion and improve the safety of fans on concourses.
SR-rated fencing was proposed to secure the perimeter of each zone. As part of the installation of the fencing, Heras had to dig trenches for the electrical supplies to the stadium to secure the perimeter of each zone and also negotiate pillars that form part of the stadium’s structure.
As with every project, Heras has a ‘safety-first’ mantra. This was at the heart of every aspect of the planning and installation of the project from start to finish. This culture comes right from the top of the company and cascades down so that every member of the team in the UK (as well as all the other European territories in which Heras operates) embraces safe working practices, making them an integral part of every aspect of Heras’s operations.
The direct relationship that Heras has with the football club enabled them to work very closely together – in conjunction with a construction firm – and refine the original specifications efficiently. This resulted in changes to the specification – which led to a requirement for less fencing than was originally quoted for. It also included moving three turnstiles.
The new perimeter fencing has supported the creation of several outside zones for fans, giving more space for socialisation, eating, drinking and enjoying the atmosphere on matchdays – as well as enabling the stadium to host a wider range of events on non-matchdays. With more spaces for fans to enjoy, this is easing congestion in the area.
Across the zones, Heras installed 430 m of 2 m high SR-rated fencing and 70 m of solid sheeting, attached to a stand. It also installed 22 SR-rated Zenith mesh manual swing gates.
As a given, the fencing, gates and solid sheeting were painted in the club’s colours.
Heras Project Manager Benjamin Brooke said: “We are renowned throughout the industry for our adaptability, and this project is a prime example of that – we collaborated closely with the club to refine the specifications and work around existing infrastructure. The new outside areas, surrounded by high-security Heras perimeter fencing, have really enhanced the matchday experience and the safety of fans on concourses.”
