Sheffield Wednesday release statement after Hillsborough North Stand closure
Sheffield Wednesday have released a statement in response to the ruling of Sheffield City Council’s Safety Advisory Group that the North Stand at Hillsborough is not currently safe for use.
Long-standing discussions have been had between Wednesday and authorities about the ongoing safety of the stand since it was first officially raised in 2021. More recently a Yorkshire-based engineering consultancy firm has decreed the facility unsafe and did not feel it appropriate to issue a letter of comfort offering their satisfaction towards a full safety certificate.
The Council announced the stand would remain closed until the club can offer the appropriate assurances that the stand is safe for use, with any re-opening ahead of the forthcoming season described to The Star as ‘highly unlikely’. It would mean thousands of supporters would not be able to gain access to the season tickets they have paid for, opening up yet another major headache for the club in what has been a remarkably turbulent summer.
A statement released by the club on Tuesday evening read: “Sheffield Wednesday can confirm that, following a recent meeting with the local Safety Advisory Group, Sheffield City Council has today issued a Prohibition Notice preventing the use of the North Stand at Hillsborough.
“The club are continuing to work with the Safety Advisory Group to satisfy their concerns such that the North Stand remains open. Additional information is currently being obtained, and we will provide further updates to our supporters at the earliest possible opportunity.”
In a statement released by Sheffield City Council earlier in the day, Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of the Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said in a statement: “It is our role to ensure the safety of all sports grounds for all spectators. We have been working with Sheffield Wednesday Football Club for some time, through the Safety Advisory Group which we chair, to seek reassurance that the North Stand is structurally compliant.
“Because we haven’t been given that professional reassurance, we are regrettably in a position where we must issue a notice prohibiting spectators in the North Stand until we can be absolutely assured that the required work has been undertaken to the satisfaction of the council as certifying authority. We have done this immediately, following an assessment by engineering specialists who can no longer confirm that the North Stand is safe for spectator use.
“We recognise that this is a very difficult situation, and we will continue working closely with the club and provide support and guidance where we can. We as much as anyone want to see the fans enjoying football at Sheffield Wednesday next season.”