For approaching nine months supporters visiting Edgar Street cannot have failed to notice the extensive scaffolding that surrounds the walls of the club shop, club office and RE Resource Group Hereford Suite.
This has surely impacted negatively on much needed footfall into the club shop which is almost hidden underneath the scaffolding.
However, there is an end in sight!
At the Chairman’s Q&A event last night Paul Quarrell, Stadium Director, confirmed agreement has finally been reached and the scaffolding will be removed and replacement panelling installed on Friday, 23 August.
Indeed, with the new season almost upon us, Hereford Football Club need a welcoming shop front sooner rather than later.
The need for the scaffolding arose after 70-80 mph winds hit the city last autumn and caused damage to the external cladding panels on the Merton Stand side of the ground, with one falling panel causing damage to a parked vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of this incident.
Following the incident, the scaffolding was deemed an essential safety measure to minimise the possibility of further displacement which had the potential for additional damage or, even worse, injury to passers-by.
The former Hereford FC Chairman, Ken Kinnersley, and Quarrell, held a number of meetings with officials from Herefordshire Council (who own the stadium), the Loss Adjuster and an appointed project manager.
As a result of these meetings, agreement has been reached over the repairs, including the removal of almost all the panels and full reinstatement with appropriate new materials. The full cost of the work is likely to be a significant five-figure sum.
Kinnersley said, “When making plans to replace the cladding, every effort has been made to improve the overall appearance of the external elevations of both the club office and the RE Resource Group Hereford Suite.
“Consideration has also been given to ensuring the new works compliment the appearance of the Old Market, the proposed Blackfriars development and the works currently underway adjacent to the stadium.
“Hopefully, the effect will be to make the RE Resource Group Hereford Suite an even more attractive venue for private events, particularly as the club has a requirement to generate more commercial income off the field.
“When work is completed and the scaffolding is removed, we are hoping that sales from the Club Shop, which is still open for business, will return to the normal, expected levels as there’s no doubt the scaffolding has had an impact on footfall through the shop”.
