Rugby Football Union officials are looking to use undercover police on matchdays in a bid to increase their chances of being allowed to host concerts involving the likes of Beyonce in order to fund their stadium upgrades.
The RFU are needing to fork out £660million to pay for the upgrades to the home of England Rugby, and are looking to increase the number of non-sporting events held there in order to raise funds. Plans to improve Twickenham rail station are also in place to help achieve that.
Currently, three non-sporting events a year take place at the 82,000-seater venue in London, and plans are in place to increase that number to 15. Those plans were plunged into doubt last year, though, when Richmond Council expressed concerns over transport links.
In October, it was adjudged that a limit of three concerns a year would remain in place, with only one allowed to not be on a Saturday. That also came after strong opposition from residents in the area.
Hope is not lost, though. This week, plans have been in place to hold a drop in session with residents with new plans to be presented. They are understood to include a revamp of Twickenham Station which could double the number of passengers per train, plain clothes officers being present on matchdays and the introduction of civil enforcement officers in a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Other plans include the idea of clear consequences for antisocial behaviour via fixed penalty notices and temporary barriers being installed in alleyways.
Rugby Football Union officials are using undercover police in a bid to allow them to host more concerts to fund a stadium revamp
The RFU are looking to raise money for a £660million stadium development in London
In November, RFU chief Bill Sweeney said in an apparent plea to residents: ‘We’ve laid out very clearly for [Richmond council] what it means for us. Those events are essential for us if we’re to reinvest in the stadium and the stadium needs reinvestment to keep pace with other stadiums.
‘It’s not a grandstanding negotiation tactic. We need those in order to justify the investment into the stadium. They understand that. They want us to stay. And our plan A is to stay.
‘We contribute over £90m to the local economy and well over £100m to the greater London economy. They want us to stay here but purely from a financial validity point, it’s essential we get those extra events. I’m confident.’
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However, he has a long way to go to turn things around. In the last sub-committee meeting, just 13 out of 205 representations voted in favour of the RFU’s proposals.
One complaint read: ‘There are regularly drunken adults urinating on properties. There is also shouting, swearing, and sometimes fighting in the streets.’
It is understood that the RFU plans on resubmitting planning and licensing applications after local elections have taken place in May, with optimism a solution can be reached.
If an agreement cannot be achieved, however, it leaves the future of English rugby up in the air, with Sweeney previously threatening to ditch Twickenham for Milton Keynes or Birmingham.
In contract to the restrictions on Twickenham, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is allowed to host 30 non-footballing events a year, while Wembley can put on 32. Sweeney previously said that the chance to host Beyonce had presented itself, but the world-famous singer wanted three consecutive nights, and Twickenham is only allowed to host two in a row.