Hull KR

Hull KR CEO discusses plans to extend East Stand at Craven Park

by
Ollie Mitchell
April 17, 2024

Hull KR CEO Paul Lakin has spoken about possible developments at their home ground, Craven Park.

The Robins’ home support has been incredibly impressive this year, with their club-record 8,000 members remarkably putting the number of members even higher than the average attendance at Craven Park in 2022.

The East Stand is completely sold-out of memberships, with just 300 seats being released for general sale per game there.

Speaking to the BBC at half-time of their game vs Leigh Leopards, Lakin said: “I think we understand that we’re in the entertainment industry and we need to provide value for money.

“We need to provide something that, apart from the product on the pitch, is something that people want to enjoy and Craven Streat has clearly been a huge success for us.”

“It’s so popular, people just come to meet up here hours before the game, it’s open a couple of hours before the game, a couple of hours afterwards, it’s become a real social event before and after the game.”

Craven Streat is a fan park within the stadium, which was opened in 2021.

That year, Lakin told Sky Sports: “It’s taking the weakest part of our ground and turning it into a real strength”.

It offers up an American-style ‘carnival’ atmosphere at the end of the ground without a stand.

The impact of on-the-field efforts for Hull KR

Hull KR players Mikey Lewis, Tom Opacic and Tyrone May celebrating a Niall Evalds try

Credit: Imago Images

The Robins are enjoying a good season: they currently sit fourth in the Super League table, just two points behind league leaders Catalans Dragons.

At the weekend, they defeated Leigh Leopards to progress to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup just a year after reaching the final.

Lakin acknowledged the impact of this on attendances. He said: “It comes down to the product.

“The product is the team on the pitch.

“We’ve got a strong team going well – so 8,000 members, the last six league games have been a sell-out, going from last season into this season, so yeah.

“We’re going very well.

“We’re certainly looking to develop, whether we’ll develop this end first, it may be an extension to the East Stand, but we need new capacity.

“As I say, every league game is a sell-out, which is a great problem to have, and hopefully one we’ll resolve for next season.”

Craven Park currently has capacity for 12,225 supporters, which puts it eighth in Super League.

Further development would put it in a growing list of Super League venues to have significant work done this year, joining Wheldon Road and Stade Gilbert Brutus.