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Watford FC race to complete stadium improvements to avoid Premier League censure

Premier League football club Watford FC are racing to meet new requirements set by the league over disabled access and seating standards at grounds in the top flight.

The club, which currently sits in 11th place in the Premier League, is planning on introducing 49 easy access seats and 31 new wheelchair access seats in time for the start of the 2017/18 season.

These will be in addition to the 61 wheelchair access seats and 124 easy access seats currently provided at the club’s Vicarage Road home.

By summer 2017 all Premier League clubs are expected to provide 153 of both easy access and wheelchair accessible seats as part of the Accessibility Stadia guidelines, totals which the club will not meet even with the planned expansion due to the 61 seat shortfall in wheelchair seats.

The club claims that it plans to make up the gap with future ‘planned stadium development works due’, as sold out home games have made it impossible for it to remove seating to make way for additional capacity.

Watford’s Chief Executive Officer Scott Duxbury commented: “We are committed to doing the best we can for all supporters visiting Vicarage Road. Maximising the positive impact derived from changes made within the constraints of our current infrastructure has been our key focus.

“By doing that, it means we’re now at a point where all known demand from disabled supporters has been met.”

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