Luton chief executive Gary Sweet has said getting Kenilworth Road ready for tonight’s Carabao Cup clash against Gillingham has been “nothing short of miraculous” as the revamped stadium gets a test run ahead of its Premier League bow against West Ham on Friday.
The Hatters supremo has also called on fans for their “patience and understanding” as the club work out snags, but has promised that they’ve made changes to enhance fans’ match-day experience.
Work began the day after Town’s Championship play-off final triumph against Coventry in May to upgrade the stadium to meet Premier League criteria.
The tight timescales meant that the proposed first home game in the division against fellow newly promoted side Burnley had to be postponed before the campaign started, so tonight will be the first chance for many fans to see it for themselves.
Sweet said: “The last 13 weeks since Wembley have gone by in a flash. The work undertaken around the ground has been nothing short of miraculous.
“We have worked around the clock in order to get Kenilworth Road into the shape it is to welcome you tonight. There will be operational snags here and there, and tonight areas which you will be accustomed to using will be unavailable and in these situations we ask for your patience and understanding.
“However, while it has been a necessity to upgrade facilities for our friends in the media, we have also invested in amenities for supporters in order to enhance their matchday experience and to compensate for the changes.
“Our thanks go to all residents and staff who have endured the last three months. Most importantly come and enjoy your evening.”
Luton have released a list of the changes that fans will notice tonight, including:
Access in and around the ground
- The biggest change you will notice is on your approach to the Kenilworth Road end where a new concourse awaits with a new ticket office and food and drink stalls (further information below)
- In a nutshell, access to your regular seat should not be affected.
- Beech Path remains open for access pre-match as usual.
- Fans who have tickets for the test event inside the Bobbers Stand can only access this area from the turnstiles on Beech Path.
- Supporters who have tickets for the Bobber’s must access the turnstiles from Ivy Road, Beech Road, Ash Road and Kenilworth Road.
- A new external stairwell outside the Kenilworth Road stand is for media access only and not for supporters’ use.
- You will notice a contractors’ compound in Kenilworth Road, storing equipment to continue work on Wednesday.
- The Kenilworth Road concourse will now house three new concession stands, opening at 6pm.
- These will be available to supporters pre-match and at half-time (until early in the second half) to those sitting in the main stand and Kenilworth Road end.
- We’re delighted to reveal the new food options as follows:
- New partner The Kenny Henny – offering Southern Fried Chicken, loaded chips and vegetarian options with a Hatters-themed menu, which will also be shared with an area selling beer.
- Norm’s Caribbean shack – Norm’s going nowhere! He’s now got a new building, which he will share with Leighton Buzzard Brewery and Kelchner, a brewery from Ampthill.
- An additional unit offering beer, soft drinks and crisps.
- The Nick Owen bar is no longer available to supporters. However, the kiosk underneath the David Preece Stand has been flipped, with service hatches facing the concourse, serving beers, hot drinks and hot food.
- Just for tonight’s match the bar underneath the Kenilworth Road end will not be open.
- All other catering areas will be open as usual.
- We apologise that the old Bobber’s Club bar, situated underneath the Oak Road end will not be available to supporters for this game.
Ticketing
- A new matchday ticket office will be located on the Kenilworth Road concourse.
- This opens at 4pm for ticket collections and queries.
- The existing ticket office in Oak Road will close at 5pm as usual.
- Any supporter who has requested press gate passes for means of access can email ticketoffice@lutontown.co.uk to reinstate this pass for the coming season
Disabled supporters
- Two new areas for disabled fans have been created to increase the capacity for supporters; one in the Oak Road end for away supporters, plus one underneath the David Preece stand.
- Supporters requiring audio sets for commentary can collect headsets from the Kenilworth Road ticket office from 4pm.
- Supporters who used to collect theirs from main reception can now do so from the Oak Road ticket office.
Retail
- The club shop will open at 6pm
- Any retail collections can be picked up from the Oak Road ticket office until 4pm and then at the matchday ticket office between 4-6pm before the main club shop opens.
