Portsmouth FC chief executive Andrew Cullen on the economic boost of Fratton Park's redevelopment
After a long period of reduced capacity at Fratton Park, Portsmouth FC are now approaching attendance figures of 20,000 after extensive works on the North and South stands have been completed.
Nicknamed “The Old Girl” by the Pompey faithful, the stadium has been home to them for over a century, having hosted its first match in 1899.
Time had taken its toll on the historic arena, with safety concerns in the past meaning that areas had to be made out-of-bounds for short periods.
It’s taken time and investment to get to the stage where just short of twenty-thousand fans can attend matches and bring that famous Fratton Park support back to full volume.
READ MORE: Portsmouth FC to begin work earlier on Milton End redevelopment
We spoke to Portsmouth FC’s Chief Executive, Andrew Cullen, about the challenge of bringing the well-loved football ground back to its best.
“The stadium had not had significant investment in it for a number of years. Consequently the capacity of the whole stadium has been reduced, year in, year out due to safety issues”, Cullen says. “It had reached a point where it was likely capacity would fall as low as 10,000. We notionally had a capacity of over 20,000 at the start of last season. That had gone down to 15,000 - although we were able to get some seats back because works had commenced - capacity then reached around 16,000.”
Keeping fans in attendance whilst making these crucial changes took considerable investment and was strategically complex.
“We had to do the works as there’d been no major investment for several years. Two years ago, just around the time of the pandemic, there was some new cladding installed to meet fire regulations - otherwise we’d have been completely closed down. After that, the football club looked at an investment that totalled £11.5m to reprofile the South Stand, to make improvements to the North Stand and to refurbish the Milton End, where away supporters are housed. So that was the reason why everything was put together - a complete transformation.”
With the North Stand and the South Stand now refurbished, the Milton End is in line to be completed by the end of this season. Cullen outlines the importance of this area to the project.
“£11.5m is the total investment which also covers the Milton End. There are some extensive works required there - particularly in terms of the DDA improvements we’re putting in. We’ve got lifts going in, a new DDA facility and we’re enhancing the session spaces. We’re also considering future-proofing for safe-standing in the event we get that license”.
Cullen stresses that, at the heart of the project, retaining Fratton Park’s identity is central.
“The key thing we’ve been keen to do all along - and what our owners have been insistent on - is to retain the historic charm of Fratton Park - particularly in the South Stand which has the original Archibald Leitch architecture and was originally built in 1925. It’s been a massive, massive project.
“The owners, when they took the club over, looked at various options. Should they stay at Fratton Park or look at a new stadium? Being on an island - it would be incredibly difficult to find a new site. They were very, very keen that the football club should stay in its historic home. They appreciated the history and the heritage that makes Fratton Park unique, and that partly determined the decision to spend money on refurbishing and maintaining the stadium.”
The refurbishment has been a major step, but Cullen makes it clear that this project is only the start of improvements for the club’s home.
“The story doesn’t stop there. The next stage will be to look at other development options. If we can create the demand through the club progressing through the leagues or by more seats being sold - we can start to consider the next stage of development. That would begin with a much bigger North Stand, meaning a capacity of over 25,000. Depending on different models, it could be as high as 30,000.”
The knock on effect of the extra seating results in multiple benefits, Cullen says.
“It impacts the atmosphere, revenue and the overall viability of the football club. If the football club is to progress to the next level, quite simply we wouldn't have been able to satisfy demand - so it was absolutely crucial for the future of the club”.
When asked if he can offer any projected figures for the improved revenue he foresees as a result of all those extra tickets sold, Cullen couldn’t give specifics, but makes it clear that the future is looking far healthier for the club.
He said: “I’m always nervous about giving figures out - but it will make a significant difference. And that’s not just in terms of selling seats. We’ve got much better facilities, meaning it’s a better matchday experience. We’ve had significant crowds at the start of this season - far higher than last - but some of the other areas are important too. We’re now able to sell alcohol in the South Stand for the first time. The new bars mean better queuing systems and more milling spaces - and space away from the bar for supporters to enjoy food and drink. We had a record spend in the bars at the start of this season and all the secondary spend that comes as a result of a greater capacity enables us to do what we want to do.
“We’ve got to make sure that we keep that up and continue to learn. We’ve got new areas and entrances and we have to look at people’s behaviours in the stadium so that we can enhance their experience - and that’s all for the benefit of the business of the football club. We’re committed to working towards a sustainable model and we want to create solid foundations for the club to succeed - and not be reliant on short term bursts of finance. It all adds up in terms of the bigger picture.”
