NEARLY two years after it last closed its doors, a FanZone could soon be reopened at the University of Bolton Stadium, Wanderers CEO Neil Hart has told The Bolton News.

The Bolton News:

WANDERERS are preparing to construct a purpose-built FanZone at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Organised in conjunction with the Supporters’ Trust, the club have ear-marked land next to Bolton Central to supply a mix of food, drink and entertainment for supporters before matchdays.

Last opened in early 2020, the FanZone was previously contained within the Premier Suite and closed after the season was cut short by lockdown. Previous incarnations were also trialled by the Trust at Bolton Arena.

Now, Wanderers CEO Neil Hart believes an outdoor area, which will allow fans to socialise prior to kick-off, will prove a popular addition.

“Fans were saying to us ‘where is a Fan Zone’ – can the club with its partners create one? So we have listened to that and are trying to put some plans in place,” he told The Bolton News.

“It doesn’t make commercial sense for us to use the Premier Suite. We are better off running events in there on a Saturday evening, which we do with dinners, boxing, whatever else.

“The Fan Zone will be outdoor, on the outer area between the stadium and Bolton Central, straddling a little bit of the stadium itself.

“Hopefully it will be a combination of some permanent structures in a quality marquee or gazebo format, with some pop-up stuff and it will provide some entertainment for kids and young people, some community stuff, and hopefully provide a good F&B (food and beverage) offering as well.

“The Supporters’ Trust have been absolutely brilliant and we have been meeting with them on a regular basis. We are working through the details now and what it will look like, so hopefully we will be in a position to communicate with fans in the next couple of weeks about when it will actually commence.”

Wanderers already encourage supporters to use the Bolton Whites Hotel prior to kick-off, running promotions on matchdays, but it is hoped a dedicated FanZone will allow even more people to socialise and also cater for younger people, and parents with children.

Hart hopes the move will encourage more families to come down earlier to the game and improve the matchday experience for all.

“We want the supporters here as early as possible, engaging with the club on our footprint. It has to be more than 90 minutes on the pitch,” he said.

“Yes, the game is critical. We love sitting in our seats and watching it unfold. But coming to the game with your friends and family, have a coffee or a beer, do some football activities, have a go at whatever we have on site, it is so important. We have to – and want to – get fans with us pre-and-post kick-off.”

Hart has also thanked the Supporters’ Trust for their backing in bringing the plan forward.

Now a few months into his new role, he says discussions with the BWFCST have been invaluable in helping him gauge some of the projects most important to the fans.

“They have been great,” he said. “When I first met with the trust board I apologised for it taking two weeks to meet with them and they said ‘don’t worry, Neil, that’s a record!’ “I was very pleased to hear that. And our discussions have been great, very positive and engaging and we all have the same interests, we want the club to be successful and want the good engagement, pricing structures, it is just bringing it together.”