Latest from HullKR:
Rugby League Live Editor Matt Shaw recently sat down with
Hull KR CEO Paul Lakin for a Q&A session. In the latest installment, Craven Park and the surrounding areas are the focus.
MS: The 3G community pitch is now completed and in use and it's the first tangible development as part of the entire Craven Park site. What's next?
PL: We've talked for some time about the 15 acres of land. There hasn't been a lot of news made public on that, but the reason is that it takes a lot of time to put together, especially 15 acres. But it has been moving forward strongly in the background and we've put a plan together over the last 18-month period where it would have strong commercial use at the front, community use in the middle and additional club facilities at the back. Essentially, the front part, the commercial part, would finance the majority of the development, and we have retailers ready to proceed. We put the development into a pre-application for planning recently, and it went through positively, we'll continue to communicate with all stakeholders and aim for the full planning submission in the spring. We have a clear plan of what we can do for the community and the club.
MS: From a fans' perspective, you've spoken about fan zones as part of this, is that still on the cards?
L: It's still possible, the plans would allow fans to walk thought the development to the stadium on the east side and we would ensure that it was a really good fan experience through vendors and activitivies.
MS:How important is this regen for the long-term sustainability of the club?
PL: This is a hugely exciting project that is vitally important for the area, local community and for the club. The development will bring many jobs, it will regenerate land that has largely been untouched for 30+ years and it will have plenty of green space, opportunities to play sport along with the Waudby Centre being kept open. As part of the development proposal the club would take ownership of the Waudby centre and we see it as an excellent community base that we want to see prosper and grow.
Towards the back of the development it creates a sporting hub with a 3G pitch, training facilities on-site, a full size community pitch and a better experience for the entire area. It's a once in a generation opportunity and would leave a legacy for the club.
MS: Regarding Craven Park developments, what's the current situation?
PL: We haven't been discussing the West Stand at all because it's a huge project in itself. Our numbers are increasing dramatically and impressively but we need to take it steady. The first step was to add 1,000 to the East Stand and we've done it in a temporary fashion because a permanent build is very expensive, so we're dipping our toe in the water to see if we can fill it, which would then give us a really good argument to make it permanent.
We know we can have temporary seating at the south end after the last two home games of the most recent season. That seating doesn't have a roof so we wouldn't implement it until the summer, if we wanted too. But it means we have further growth in us (1000+) if we choose too before we need to do anything more permanent.
MS:The membership surge is a good problem for you, isn't it?
PL: It's unbelievable really. We have grown and grown and we already have well over 9000 members now with new members signing up every week. It's a pretty unique fan experience at our home games that is proving so popular with a team on the pitch that's getting stronger each season. The players love it too
MS:How are you keeping up?
PL: Such growth does present issues to resolve but they are good problems to have and I'm sure every club would want them. The issues are mainly around infrastructure, warehouse space for retail for example, additional staff recruitment as departments grow and matchday operations with the size of our crowds - additional car parking is another example. Growing pains, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
