Portsmouth are investing nearly £1m in essential health and safety improvements at Fratton Park this summer, with a new fire prevention water system being installed at the 126-year-old stadium.
Chief executive Andy Cullen has disclosed details of the substantial infrastructure project currently underway at Pompey’s historic ground during the Championship off-season.
The mandatory safety work centres around installing an independent water supply system designed to tackle potential fire emergencies, featuring a massive 171,000-litre storage tank positioned near the Fanzone area adjacent to the North Stand.
This follows previous major renovations across recent summers that have seen significant upgrades to the North Stand, Milton End, and South Stand, alongside enhancements to the Victory Lounge, with total investment exceeding £19m.
‘Obliged to do this from health and safety perspective’
Speaking to The News, Cullen explained the necessity behind the costly undertaking: “The massive project going on at the moment is one we’ve been obliged to do from a health and safety perspective, which is to install a new independent irrigation system in the event of a fire breaking out at Fratton Park.
“This also deals with the problem of mains pressure simultaneously failing in the local area, which would mean water could not be pumped at the same pressure to extinguish any fire.
“With recent events elsewhere in the country, probably most notable Grenfell, putting cladding on many buildings under the microscope, other things are also now under focus from the fire authorities and building control.”
The substantial water tank will be prominently visible, positioned at the junction between the North Stand and Fratton End near the Tesco boundary, representing another significant financial commitment by the club’s ownership.
Safety remains paramount priority
Cullen emphasised the club’s unwavering commitment to supporter welfare: “The likelihood of both those two events occurring – a fire breaking out and mains pressure falling – are very, very remote, but, nevertheless, we have to put safety first, we can’t compromise on that.
“It is essential maintenance and, of course, on top of that you have a very, very old stadium. Obviously we have spent a lot of money refurbishing Fratton Park, but there are still a whole load of other areas which continue to require annual maintenance each year.”
Hughes on Mousinho’s Pompey brilliance
Alongside the irrigation project, Fratton Park’s playing surface is receiving its yearly maintenance programme, scheduled for completion by late July.
This timeline could enable John Mousinho’s squad to host their first pre-season fixture at home since Bristol City’s visit in 2023, with August 2nd tentatively marked for a potential friendly.
Ongoing investment requirements
The chief executive highlighted the continuous nature of stadium maintenance requirements: “Supporters will see some of the things we have done in the last few years, such as refurbishing three stands, putting a new concourse into the North Stand, improving the Victory Lounge, and introducing the Fanzone.
“These are all things which are material and are great because they give the opportunity to deliver a return on that investment.
“These are also things which go on behind the scenes and come at a huge cost and need to continue to have to be funded. That could be anything from fire alarms to wiring, general stadium maintenance areas or steelworks.”
