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Regulated Stands

Where there is a covered stand that provides accommodation for 500 or more standing or seated spectators at any non-designated ground the local authority is responsible for issuing and enforcing a regulated stand safety certificate in accordance with the provisions of the
Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

Home Office Circular 97/1988 gives detailed statutory guidance on how to determine whether or not a stand provides accommodation for 500 or more spectators. For precise details local authorities should refer to the Circular. In brief the local authority should count:

• the number of individual seats and / or marked places on bench seats; and

• the number of places on bench seating allowing 530mm per person and disregarding any shorter lengths left over; and

• the number of spectators who can be accommodated on a terraced or sloped viewing area at a rate of 2.7 persons per square metre after disregarding gangways, stairways and landings; and

• the number of spectators who can be accommodated in the front two metres of a flat standing area at a rate of 2.7 persons per square metre.

It is stressed that this methodology should be used only for determining whether the stand in question should be a regulated stand. Its safe capacity does not depend only on the amount of accommodation available. When calculating the safe capacity for inclusion in the safety certificate, the local authority should follow the methodology set out in the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds.

This may result in a substantially lower capacity, which may even fall below 500.

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