HULL KR: Rovers target 10,000 crowds with stand extension

HULL Kingston Rovers hope to meet their target of regular crowds of 10,000 by extending the popular east stand for next season.

The Robins will build a £500,000 extension of the covered terrace which will take the capacity of Craven Park to 11,700.

Should the plans go ahead, the Mail understands work will start before the New Year.

And the increased capacity could help the club generate an extra £200,000 a year through gate receipts.

Rovers average attendance was 9,093 last season – but the East Stand was sold out for every game – leading the club to believe crowds would have been higher had more covered terracing been available.

The news comes on the back of his week revealed annual losses of around £450,000 a season over the past three years.

Hudgell stressed the need for KR to attract regular crowds of 10,000 to start clawing back losses and become self-financing.

The extension will be built with financial support from NHS Hull – who will house health facilities in the new development – and match funding from the RFL.

They have secured the support from NHS Hull as part of the agreement to create a similar centre at the Boulevard, which will be converted into a dedicated training base for Hull FC.

Those plans had initially been earmarked for £1m of NHS investment.

However, due to cost savings since that figure was agreed in February, the NHS says it has been able to make £300,000 available to support the development of Craven Park.

The plans will be discussed at the board meeting of Hull Teaching PCT Board next Thursday, but have been recommended for approval.

Rovers chairman Neil Hudgell will be present at that meeting and is expected to make a presentation to the board, but he was unable to make any comment ahead of the meeting when approached by the Mail.

The extension of the East Stand is the first in a series of plans to develop facilities around Craven Park.

Long-term, the club plan to create a 'sporting village', including building three training pitches to the back of the Craven Park site.

This will allow the club to return to the ground for training purposes and academy games, as well as a possible link-up with a local amateur club

The board papers also reveal the total cost of making the Boulevard fit for purpose for Hull FC will be £2.4m.

Of that, Hull City Council will meet the cost of demolishing terracing at the Carrington Street side, at £180,000, whilst NHS Hull will now invest £700,000 into the project.

No planning application will be required and it could be available for FC to use in September 2010.