Extensive consultation with fans

When football came to a halt in March 2020, QPR were taking their first steps surveying fans on rail seating at Loftus Road.

Two fans had been the driving force for this change. Terry Millichope & James Grant led a campaign to revitalise the atmosphere in the Lower Loft, convincing the club’s board to explore rail seating.

QPR spent 18 months consulting fans via online and in-person surveys, getting a picture of not only where rail seating would be preferred, but how fans would react if the area they sat in was converted. Over 75% were in favour, but the club was sympathetic to the concerns from 15% responding that they would be unhappy.

Reimagining an old stand

The Lower Loft, located behind the goal at the opposite end of the stadium to the away end, was the clear favourite for rail seating, with 74% of fans selecting this ahead of the Stanley Bowles Stand (a distant 2nd with 11%). At the time, the whole of the Lower Loft was a family area.

Further fan consultation followed a plan published by the club in March 2022 (two years after the initial survey), with a final refined plan laid out two months later - splitting the Lower Loft to accommodate both a safe standing area while retaining a large part of the family area, and also converting a nearby section of the Stanley Bowles Stand.

Seizing an opportunity for licensed standing

When clubs became able to apply for licensed standing areas in summer 2022, their existing plans were tweaked to meet the SGSA’s new criteria - such as ensuring a proportional amount of safe standing was added to the away end.

Loftus Road has some of the narrowest rows in the country, and for safe standing to be feasible QPR went with the space-maximising rail seat design by Ferco Seating in the Lower Loft and away end, with barrier seating in the more spacious Stanley Bowles Stand. The work was completed in September 2022.

Key points for SUFC

Stand United met with QPR’s Head of Operations, Joshua Scott, ahead of United’s away trip in January 2023, and key points from the chat that we felt are useful in the context of any similar move at Bramall Lane:

• Getting this in place needed a board-level commitment, with the club CEO buying into the fan push for it, plus the arguments on improved safety and atmosphere. It’s proving popular and there are plans to expand.

• Season ticket holders affected were carefully considered, and given the option of staying where they were in the new standing sections or, if they changed their mind, they could move later on into the season if they didn’t enjoy safe standing.

• The type of railseat was a key consideration - the Ferco seat enabled them to convert areas that would have with a bulkier option been a problem for safety approval.