Harrogate Town opens £111,017 stand

NADV 1411012AM6 Harrogate Town V Stockport. Managing director of SBu Keith Swales and site manager Will Griffin hand over the keys to the new stand to Harrogate Town chairman Irving Weaver. Picture : Adrian Murray. (1411012AM6)

Completed with a grant from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), the stand was constructed ahead of the Vanarama Conference North fixture against Stockport County to allow more supporters to watch the game in comfort.

Should the club be promoted, the stand, which includes a food outlet and toilet facilities, will generate greater match-day revenue to allow them to compete in higher divisions.

Harrogate Town chairman Irving Weaver said: “We are delighted to have received this funding from the FSIF for our new stand. The CNG Stadium is now a first-class facility and will allow the club to move to the next level and enhance the match day experience for supporters.”

Previous amenities at the CNG stadium had fallen into disrepair and were all situated at one end of the ground, making it difficult for supporters to access them.

This is not the first grant that Harrogate Town AFC have received from the FSIF. In 2012, the club received £51,283 in order to carry out improvements to the pitch.

FSIF chair Peter McCormick said: “The club now has an excellent base from which to develop and grow further and I will continue to follow their progress closely.”