Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Nick Tyrrell

Liverpool FC to make changes to Anfield at the end of the season

LFC have given an update on how the club is preparing Anfield to hold its first concerts this summer.

Club officials provided councillors with more detail about alterations to the stadium so it can hold events outside of the football season.

Liverpool got permission to hold concerts last autumn following a protracted planning battle which saw their first attempt rejected .

They can hold up to six non-football events a year, with three planned for this summer.

Major events venue manager Claire Harkness told the council's licensing committee that the club had been working on 'a number of updates to the stadium' to prepare it to hold concerts.

She said: "We have looked to make sure that the building can cope with a different demographic.

Mystery Liverpool lottery ticket holder has one week left to claim HUGE prize  

"People at concerts move in a different way to people at matches."

The concerts could see upwards of 12,000 people standing on the pitch, with tens of thousands more seated in the stands.

Liverpool vs Chelsea: Last five games at Anfield

And stages up to 25 metres wide are set to be built at the Anfield Road stand, meaning the area between the Kenny Dalglish Stand and the Kop has had to be altered to let massive lorries on to the pitch.

Ms Harkness said those updates would allow artists on a touring schedule to play at Anfield.

ITV This Morning major slip up leaves John Barrowman red-faced  

Other work the club has had to carry out includes changes to how concertgoers will enter Anfield and establishing welfare areas around the stadium.

Take That will be the first act to perform on 6 June.

LFC is set to review how the event was run immediately afterwards - and hold meetings with councillors and residents before Bon Jovi performs almost two weeks later.

Ms Harkness said meetings with neighbours in recent months had brought up complaints about noise, parking and disturbances on matchdays.

Merseyside Labour councillor faces inquiry over 'Hitler' fancy dress photos  

She said: "The main issue we have is noise.

"Parking is a massive issue obviously, as are road closures and public nuisance."

The club said they would continue to make sure there were a number of different forums for neighbours to voice concerns to the club and said a new community liaison officer had already.

And people coming to concerts would have to pre-book parking and that anyone else would be encouraged to take public transport.

A decision to close part of Anfield Road for periods in the run up to concerts had provoked anger among some residents, but Ms Harkness said after meeting with the club '90% of residents there felt more comfortable' about the situation.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.