Ospreys ‘desperate’ for earlier kick-offs at new home

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

The managing director of Ospreys rugby club bemoaned late kick-off times in the United Rugby Championship (URC) during a meeting about a new premises licence for their new ground in Swansea.

Richard Lancaster said kick-off times were set by the URC with some input from broadcasters and the club wanted them to be earlier to enable more children to attend. “It’s unfortunately completely outside our control,” he said.

However he said the club had appealed the 7.45pm start times for their first two homes games at a refurbished St Helen’s ground on October 24 and October 31 against the Dragons and Cardiff Rugby respectively and the Dragons game had been brought forward to 7pm.

“We are desperate for earlier kick-offs but it’s being met with resistance by the league and broadcasters unfortunately,” said Mr Lancaster.

A huge amount of work has been taking place at the iconic seaside ground, which was home to the Ospreys for a short while before they moved to what was then the Liberty Stadium in Landore for 20 years.

Mr Lancaster told members of Swansea Council’s licensing sub-committee the renovation of St Helen’s was scheduled for completion on Friday, October 2.

It’ll include an all-weather pitch, seating blocks, fan zone, event marquee, and car park with the original rugby and cricket clubhouse retained.

There is a premises licence in place for different areas with different times at St Helen’s. The club’s application to the council sought a 7am to 1am sale of alcohol seven days a week with opening hours 7am to 1.30am. It also requested 7am to 1am for live and recorded music and said 10,000 people were expected for matches.

Council licensing officers recommended several conditions including sale of alcohol ceasing “in the pitch, bowl, and concourse areas” at 11pm with an extra 30 minutes of drinking-up time. External areas, they said, should be cleared by midnight.

They were no objections from authorities like South Wales Police but one person emailed the council with concerns about the late hours requested for what they said was a residential area.

The unnamed person said they felt the licensing hours should reflect earlier ones of other events in the vicinity, and also raised parking concerns.

The email said: “I am aware that the licensing [application] is not saying that there will be an event every day 7am-1am but there should not be the possibility that this can happen, for the sake of the residents in the area.”

Mr Lancaster said the ground, whose upgrade is a joint project with its owner – the council – would be used 90-95% of the time for training sessions and by other users including  Swansea RFC, Swansea University, and Gower College Swansea among others.

He said the clubhouse with its basement kitchen was not suitable for the Ospreys’ main hospitality requirements, hence the club was investing £200,000-plus in a marquee in the south-east corner of the ground.

This would be where guests gathered and man of the match awards were presented after games, he said, and a place that could host the away team for dinner.

Mr Lancaster said the marquee will have a concrete base, heating, and PVC panelling with an internal silk lining. Its internal area will be 30m by 12m and it’ll have a bar and adjoining kitchen.

There was discussion in the meeting about whether the marquee should be considered an internal or external area. Mr Lancaster said the club assumed it would be an indoor area and was keen for licensing to be extended slightly beyond 11pm.

He said the marquee might host a singer with an acoustic guitar but not a band and that no consumption of drinks would take place outside.

Mr Lancaster said the marquee “is key to our activity” and that “we need some semblance of an offer” after a match.

The sub-committee retired to consider the evidence and will issue its decision within five working days.

Separately the Welsh Rugby Union plans to reduce the number of professional teams in Wales from four to three by 2028 with one in Cardiff, one in the east, and one in the west. That will leave the Ospreys and Llanelli-based Scarlets competing for one spot.

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