Spectator accommodation – seating 12.1 The provision of seated accommodation

At sports grounds where spectators are essentially non-ambulatory during the event – such as grounds staging football, rugby, cricket, athletics, tennis, hockey and motor racing – the provision of seated accommodation for all spectators is, wherever possible, recommended.

When considering new construction at such grounds, management should take this into consideration as part of its strategy for overall safety management.

It is recognised, however, that where spectators may be ambulatory during the event – such as at grounds staging golf, horse or greyhound racing – a combination of seated and standing accommodation is a fundamental design requirement.

The provision of seats is not, in itself, a guarantee of safe conditions for spectators. It is also necessary that seated areas are designed and managed to be safe.

Moreover, as stated in Section 2.6, the safe capacity of seated areas does not

automatically correspond to the number of actual seats provided. It should instead be set at a number which the management can manage safely, and must always be assessed using the (P) and (S) factors. Guidance on the assessment of (P) and (S) factors for seated accommodation is provided in Chapter 2 and Sections 12.19 and 12.20.

Newly constructed seated accommodation should conform to any applicable Building Regulations, and to the appropriate requirements of the Guide, such as the design of circulation routes, barrier and handrail provision and fire safety. In addition, when

designing and managing seated accommodation, the comfort and amenities of spectators, and their access to amenities, should be considered at all times.

It is therefore recommended that, in all matters relating to the design of seated

accommodation, management seeks professional advice from competent persons of the appropriate skill and experience.

For further guidance reference may be made the European Standard BS EN 13200:2003 Spectator Facilities Part 1: Layout Criteria for Spectator Viewing Area (see Bibliography). New and existing seated areas will need to provide accessible viewing areas to spectators with all kinds of disabilities, including the ambulant disabled. These areas must be located around the sports ground in adequate numbers and must be of appropriate viewing quality, to give all spectators a suitable range of viewing options. Provision and standards should be reviewed by management, in consultation with disabled supporters and local disability groups on a regular basis.

For further guidance, reference may be made to the Sports Grounds and Stadia Guide No.1 – Accessible Stadia (see Bibliography).

Prefabricated, temporary or demountable stands need to satisfy the same criteria for numbers, dispersal and viewing quality for disabled spectators as those required in a conventional construction (see also Chapter 14).

12.2

Viewing standards

The provision of adequate viewing standards is a key factor in ensuring that seated accommodation is both safe and serves its intended purpose.

Spectators in seated accommodation should have a clear, unrestricted view of the whole of the playing area or area of activity.

Designs should ensure that spectators are encouraged to remain seated and do not have to stretch or strain to view the event. (The only exceptions to this requirement are grounds staging such events as horse or motor racing, where clearly a view of the whole area of activity is difficult to achieve from any static viewing position.)

Viewing standards depend largely on three inter-related factors: a. the quality of sightlines (see Section 12.3 and Diagram 12.1) b. the existence of any restrictions (see Section 12.6)

c. the viewing distance (see Section 12.20).

12.3

Sightlines

The term sightline refers to the ability of a spectator to see a predetermined focal point (on the pitch or area of activity) over the top of the heads of the spectators immediately in front. The better the quality of the sightline, the more likely it is that spectators will remain seated during the event. Ensuring adequate sightlines is therefore an important part of providing safe seated accommodation.

The quality of a sightline is often expressed as a ‘C’ value. Diagram 12.1 shows how ‘C’ values are calculated. The recommended ‘C’ value for spectators varies according to the sport, as does the choice of focal point.

For example, it is important for spectators at football or rugby matches to be able to see the nearest touchline, so this should form the focal point. However, a focal point further infield may be acceptable for viewing cricket.

Because of the complex nature of sightline calculations in individual circumstances it is therefore recommended that management seeks professional advice from competent persons of the appropriate skill, and with experience of designing spectator

accommodation for the sport (or sports) to be staged.

If spectators stand, they will, with the exception of the front row, experience a significant deterioration in the sightlines. The focal point will move further away, usually into the activity area. This is likely to prevent spectators who are standing in accommodation that was designed for seating from seeing the whole of the area, in particular that part closest to them. This is illustrated in Diagram 12.2.

This can lead to spectators stretching, straining, pushing, jostling and standing on tiptoes (and sometimes on the seats) in order to get a better view. The situation is compounded for those who are smaller and whose view is completely blocked.

Advice on the calculation of sightlines for different sports is included in the European Standard BS EN 13200:2003 Spectator Facilities Part 1: Layout Criteria for Spectator Viewing Area (see Bibliography).

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