£300,000 Frank Woolley Stand restoration project underway
Friday 4th February 2022
Work has begun on the restoration of the Frank Woolley Stand at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.
Originally built in 1927, the Frank Woolley Stand has stood proudly in The Spitfire Ground for almost 100 years and has been witness to many memorable cricketing moments.
The project is being undertaken by Gunite (Eastern) Ltd., specialist concrete repair contractors, who were appointed following a competitive tender process led by M Peppiatt Associates Limited and BSF Consulting Engineers.
Work includes structure restoration of the Stand itself, replacement of all safety barriers, installation of seats on the top tier, as well as an external ‘face lift’ with new paint work and refreshed signage.
The restoration project is scheduled to be completed in April 2022. Subject to testing and no significant interruption due to weather or materials and labour availability, it is hoped that the restored Frank Woolley Stand will be operational in time for Kent Men’s first home match of the season against Lancashire on Thursday 14 April.
The £300,000 cost of ‘the Woolley’’s restoration has been funded primarily by the ECB Facilities & Maintenance fund. This has been reinforced by Members’ donations. The intention is that the restored stand will be fit for purpose for at least 20 further years.
Kent Cricket’s Chief Executive, Simon Storey, said: “The restored Frank Woolley Stand is the main focus of ground development work this Winter, and it’ll be a great sight to see it filled with our Members and supporters in the coming season.
“The view from the Frank Woolley is outstanding, and we want to continue to provide a premium seating area for Kent Members and supporters.
“To achieve this, it’s vital that the Stand is brought up-to-date with modern standards. We’re aiming to achieve this at the same time as ensuring we protect its essential heritage.”
Access to the restored Frank Woolley Stand is included in all Membership packages, as well as Six Pack Plus ticket bundle holders. Supporters and Six Pack ticket bundle holders will be able to pay £5 extra to gain access to the restored Frank Woolley Stand.
For Vitality Blast matches, Members and Six Pack Plus ticket bundle holders will need to reserve their seats in advance at no further cost. Further information on this reservation process will be sent via email on Tuesday 8 February to Members and Ticket Bundle Holders.
Members can still make a contribution to the restoration work by contacting the Club’s Membership & Ticketing team on 01227 456 886.
2022 Kent Cricket Membership is still available to purchase via the Club’s official ticketing website, with less than 12 weeks to go until the start of the season.
Join Kent Cricket and watch the 2021 Vitality Blast Champions in action across all formats in 2022 – Kent Memberships & Six Pack Ticket Bundles are available now.
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