Brighton & Hove Albion CEO Paul Barber confirms plans for stadium upgrade

Published by

Stephen Emerson

Brighton FC's stadium

Brighton & Hove Albion have confirmed that they will upgrade facilities around the stadium to help improve supporters' match day experience.

The American Express Community Stadium, which holds 31,800 spectators, will have increased covered spaces, an expanded food and drink offering and external toilets added.

The improvements are designed to encourage supporters to arrive earlier for matches and leave later therefore reducing pressure on the surrounding travel infrastructure.

Reports on social media had suggested the club were looking to expand the stadium's capacity and create a new hospitality lounge however Brighton & Hove Albion CEO Paul Barber confirmed through the club's official channels that this was not the case.

He said: “Following on from excellent season-ticket renewals of 90% for 2022/23, our 1901 Club already sold out for the next four years, the removal of COVID restrictions, and the recent second-place finish in the Premier League’s annual fan experience survey, we will be turning our attention back to our plans to further improve matchday facilities for fans at the Amex.

“Contrary to social media speculation, these plans do not include a second tier of seating in the North Stand – as nice as this would be, it isn’t physically possible! And neither do our plans include a new hospitality lounge above the current North Stand seating.

“Instead, our focus will be on creating better facilities for all fans in the stadium’s external areas to include a more varied food and drink offering, covered space, facilities for both pre-match and post-match entertainment, and external toilets – all designed to encourage earlier arrival at the stadium and later departures which, in turn, should help smooth congestion before and after matches.

Brighton currently sit 13th in the Premier League table and have remained in the top flight of English football since gaining promotion in 2017.

Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset. Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users. He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.