Nottingham Forest City Ground changes underway to meet ‘incredible demand’

At Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, work is in progress to install a temporary solution that will enable the stadium to handle “incredible demand.” At the corners of the Trent End, the Reds are currently building two brand-new hospitality areas constructed from modified shipping containers.

The two hospitality areas, which are being installed at the corners of Trent End and are constructed out of repurposed shipping containers, appear to have begun construction. When the work is completed, twenty private hospitality pods will be built in the existing spaces between the stand, which backs onto the River Trent, and the Brian Clough and Peter Taylor stands. With 18 fans per hospitality pod, there will be 360 additional fans available overall.

According to planning documents, each pod will have a separate hospitality area with a kitchenette and “unobstructed views” of the pitch. The current Lower Brian Clough turnstiles and irrigation tank are being demolished to make room for the temporary hospitality zones. In addition, supporters have noticed that the Trent End screen at the stadium has been moved to accommodate the new features.

In the past, the club’s chairman, Tom Cartledge, has stated that in order to boost attendance while the multi-million pound renovation project at City Ground is underway, container stands will be used. If Forest is ultimately able to close a deal to purchase the land owned by Nottingham City Council, which is where the City Ground is located, club owner Evangelos Marinakis intends to expand the Peter Taylor stand’s capacity by demolishing and reconstructing it.

“The proposed development will represent continued improvement of match day facilities at the City Ground, responding to the incredible demand for additional space, and reflecting the club’s status in the Premier League,” stated Newark-based architects BENOY in their request for planning permission for the new hospitality zones.

“The proposed development will also ensure compliance with Premier League standards for hospitality and media facilities, especially during closures and redevelopment phases of the Peter Taylor Stand.” Rushcliffe Borough Council approved the larger City Ground redevelopment project in the summer of 2022, but there are still a number of requirements that need to be completed, such as the River Trent’s boathouses being demolished and moved, so construction has not yet begun.