Member Article

Burnley FC enhance stadium accessibility with new Changing Place

Premier League team Burnley Football Club has taken steps to make its home ground more inclusive to disabled supporters by installing a Changing Place facility.

These changes are part of an ongoing stadium expansion that will see more accessibility around the Jimmy McIlroy stand. This includes the Changing Place along with raised platform areas around the corners of the stand that will give wheelchair-users good coverage on rainy days and excellent visibility for all matches.

Doug Metcalfe, Stadium and Operations Manager at Burnley FC, said:

*“At Burnley, our motto is very much ‘do the right thing’. We’re not dragging our heels when it comes to making our stadium more accessible – we’re doing it because we genuinely want disabled supporters to have everything they could possibly need when they come to Turf Moor.

“Installing a Changing Place is just one step in making our stadium better-equipped for both home and away supporters.“

Burnley is going above and beyond to give supporters the best experience possible at its stadium. The new accessible stand features three levels of wheelchair seating with additional fixed seating for friends and family to sit together.

The club has also designed and installed a concourse exclusively for disabled supporters that will have television screens showing the game and a wheelchair-level food and drink kiosk.

Innova Care Concepts supplied and installed the Changing Place at Turf Moor stadium. The company’s Projects Director, Bob Oliver, said:

“The progress that Burnley is making in the way of accessibility is very impressive; this level of thought and care should be embraced by football clubs all over the UK.

“It also just goes to show how important it is that Changing Places be installed not only in football stadiums – but in all kinds of public facilities. They’re an investment in your building and your customers’ quality of life.“

Premier League football teams have previously come under pressure from both the Changing Places campaign and the Equality and Human Rights Commission for failing to provide adequate facilities for disabled supporters. In response, these clubs promised to abide by Accessible Stadia guidelines along with the BS8300:2018 regulations that detail the requirements for a Changing Place facility.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucie Hudson .