Grimbsy Town FC set to be UK trailblazers
February 2015. Grimsby Town Football Club have declared their intention to fit rail seats to create a safe standing area in a section of their Pontoon Stand behind the goal at Blundell Park.
This trailblazing move is set to make the Mariners the very first club in the UK with rail seating in operation as a safe standing area. The only other rail seat installations in the UK to date are a small block of 33 at Bristol City's Ashton Gate, which legislation prohibits the club from using in any form as spectator accommodation for football matches, and 3 being used as seats by club staff at Peterborough United.
Although Grimsby's Blundell Park had to go all-seater some years ago after the club had completed the maximum of 3 years at Championship level during which clubs are permitted to retain standing areas, as the Mariners are currently outside of the Football League the all-seater requirement does not apply at present.
The club is therefore at liberty to reinstate standing and to install rail seats similar to those shown below.
Should it gain promotion back to the Football League, however, the all-seater requirement would immediately kick back in. The hope therefore is that in that event the club will either be allowed to operate the rail seating section as a safe standing trial or to operate it as normal seated accommodation.