Kenilworth Road Upgraded But Character Remains

Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet has hailed the ‘miraculous’ efforts the club have undertaken in order to get Kenilworth Road up to Premier League standards. With the Hatters winning promotion to the top flight last term, a £12‑13m upgrade was needed to ensure the ground was ready to host fixtures, including rebuilding the Bobbers Stand, with Luton given under three months in which to complete it.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Sweet said: “The last 13 weeks since Wembley have gone by in a flash. The work undertaken around the ground has been nothing short of miraculous. We have worked around the clock in order to get Kenilworth Road into shape...”

The main element that The Hatters Chairman and Board wished to ensure was that the character and ruggedness of Kenilworth Road remained, to hopefully remain an intimidating stadium for visiting sides amidst vociferous home support to give them the edge against more illustrious opponents.

Notable changes to the stadium access are evident on the approach to the Kenilworth Road end where a new concourse awaits with a new ticket office and food and drink stalls and a new external stairwell outside the Kenilworth Road stand for media access only. Two new areas for disabled fans have been created to increase the capacity for supporters; one in the Oak Road end for away supporters, plus one underneath the David Preece stand.

Food and drink concessions have also been updated with The Kenilworth Road concourse will now house three new concession stands, including new partner The Kenny Henny – offering Southern Fried Chicken, loaded chips and vegetarian options with a Hatters‑themed menu, which will also be shared with an area selling beer. Norm’s Caribbean shack – Norm's going nowhere! He's now got a new building, which he will share with Leighton Buzzard Brewery and Kelchner, a brewery from Ampthill. Also an additional unit offering beer, soft drinks and crisps. The Nick Owen bar is no longer available to supporters. However, the kiosk underneath the David Preece Stand has been flipped, with service hatches facing the concourse, serving beers, hot drinks and hot food.