EXCLUSIVE: WHY ALLIANZ STADIUM NEEDS MORE EVENTS TO COMPETE
The Allianz Stadium, formerly known as Twickenham, urgently needs to host more big non-sporting events and help generate more revenue to invest in rugby, the stadium development director has told Teddington Town in an exclusive interview.
Alex Cohen said: “Allianz Stadium is a vital asset, generating around 85% of the RFU’s revenue and enabling continued investment in rugby across England, while also delivering value to our local community.
“However, as fan demographics evolve and expectations rise, it’s clear that the stadium no longer meets the standards of a modern, world-class, multi-use events venue. To maintain our competitiveness and ensure long-term sustainability, significant upgrades are now essential.
“To support these improvements, we need to generate additional funding and one key avenue we are pursuing is the relaxation of current restrictions on hosting concerts. Currently we are limited to three concerts per year with a maximum capacity of 55,000 — far fewer than other major London venues, such as Wembley (up to 32 concerts) and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (up to 30).
“This application aims to try and reduce that gap and make us more competitive in that market by allowing us to host up to eight major concerts annually, over a maximum of 15 event days.
“We recognise that any increase in events must be accompanied by excellent operational delivery, and that’s why the application includes a comprehensive transport strategy designed to ease congestion, distribute footfall more effectively, and enhance the experience for both local residents and eventgoers.
“We are also committed to ensuring these events benefit our community. We plan to significantly expand the number of tickets available to local residents and introduce a community reinvestment fee on concert tickets, with proceeds supporting initiatives in Richmond and Hounslow.”
Objectors to the plans for the Allianz Stadium to host an extra 12 non-sporting events or concerts each year have just six days to make their views known with a June 30th deadline looming.
The proposed scheme is to increase the number of major non-sporting event days at Allianz Stadium from the existing 3 each year to 15 and the capacity for these new events to be increased from 55.000 to 75.000. The maximum number of consecutive events would be four nights.
The Rugby Football Union has submitted a new premises licence in the first step of a £650m-plus plan to redevelop the home of England rugby union at Twickenham, now known as the Allianz Stadium following a major naming rights deal.
According to the RFU the “Allianz Stadium remains underutilised, with the pitch and stands sitting empty for up to 340 days a year – a figure that rises during Rugby World Cup years.
“This significant underuse represents a major missed opportunity to generate the revenue necessary to fund essential improvements and enable the game of rugby to flourish nationwide. At the same time, we recognise that it is of the utmost importance that whatever we do here is done in a way that minimises our impact on the area we call home.”
In an update on its plans, stadium development director Mr Cohen said the licensing application sent in to Richmond Council, which includes the increase in the number of major non-sporting events, “is the first step in our ambition to ensure Allianz Stadium remains a best-in-class, multi-events venue that stands as a source of pride for Twickenham and the wider area”.
The estimated cost of the work has been put at £663m with the RFU hoping to start after the 2027 Six Nations championship.
The iconic stadium faces significant competition from Wembley Stadium, The London Stadium, the 02 Arena and Tottenham Hotspur’s ground where major superstars like Beyonce, Taylor Swift have performed and Coldplay will be at Wembley this summer and Iron Maiden at the London Stadium this weekend.
Historically, Twickenham has hosted major concerts for bands like the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and Iron Maiden.
Current planning and licensing restrictions mean we are limited to hosting just three major non-sporting events each year, with the stadium and bowl lying empty for as many as 340 days a year.
A decision is expected by Richmond Council by July 31st this year.
Those who have complained include Samantha Marvin who wrote in a social media post: “A reminder of the deadline to speak up about the additional 15 major concerts to be held at Twickenham stadium.
“I wonder if anyone remembers the massive impact that the Eminem concert had in Twickenham, there was a lot of vandalism and damage done to properties as well as fights breaking out and a lack of police presence. There was no care for the residents of Twickenham and it left a lot of people feeling unsafe.
“We personally have had people urinating in our garden and destroying our front garden walls whilst staring into our cctv cameras!! Please follow the steps on this leaflet to vote against these additional 15 concerts a year!”
A petition launched against the plans has received 1174 signatures. It says: “Don’t Let Allianz Stadium Disrupt Our Daily Lives – Stand up for Twickenham.”
A major non-sporting event will include set up days (up to five days) for the erection and provision of equipment and infrastructure; activities (e.g. music, shows and rehearsals) within the bowl of the stadium; and take down days (up to three days) for the dismantle and removal of equipment and infrastructure following the event.
The capacity for these major non-sporting event days is proposed to be increased from 55,000 to 75,000. The timings for the major non-sporting events would remain as existing, which is a finish time of 22:30.
There will be a staggered introduction up to the maximum number of major non-sport events, as follows:
• 2026 – 6 major non-sporting days with no more than 4 separate events and 1 event outside of summer months
• 2027 – 12 major non-sporting days with no more than 6 separate events and 2 events outside of summer months
• 2028 – 15 major non-sporting days with no more than 8 separate events and 3 events outside of summer months.
The Environmental Impact Assessment application can be seen ion full here: Citizen Portal Planning
An Event Management Plan will be in place that will include:
• Preferred routes for arrival and departure of heavy vehicles;
• Timing of arrival and departure of heavy vehicles;
• Timing of rigging and de-rigging activity outside the stadium bowl but within the Site perimeter;
• Crowd management procedures;
A Noise Management Plan for major non-sport events will be in place that will include:
• Procedures for the monitoring of music noise from concerts;
• Determining noise monitoring locations representative of community impacts; and
• Description of how members of the public can make complaints and how these will be responded to on the day of the major non-sport event.
A package of transport interventions are being developed to improve and optimise the existing transport management and support the application.
The application states: “This package will benefit the management of all events at Twickenham, not just the additional major non-sport events. At a high level, the package includes an enhanced digital and ticketing strategy, optimisation of pre-match road closures and traffic management, a review of Twickenham Station operations, improved management of the A316 crossing, a refined wayfinding strategy, promotion of additional rail stations, enhanced shuttle bus management, improved taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) strategies, and improved event-day on-site travel information.”
If you wish to lodge an objection Send to: licensing@merton.gov.uk Subject/ref: WK/202497933 Include your name & address
If you wish to see full details of the application Go to https://planning.richmond.gov.uk/richmond/application-details/235110 (Or google ‘Richmond gov planning’ and then search for PA25/1465)