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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Brewin at Craven Cottage. Photographs by Tom Jenkins

Opulence on the Thames: Fulham’s new Riverside Stand in league of its own

Spectators in the top-level hospitality tier of Fulham’s new Riverside Stand enjoy a drink before the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton.
Spectators in the top-level hospitality tier of Fulham’s new Riverside Stand enjoy a drink before the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The Premier League has become a place where not just the other half reside but the 1%. If money follows money then England’s top tier is a place to be seen, to do business, to entertain, for those who can afford the corporate facilities increasingly important to football’s bottom line.

On Saturday, before Fulham’s loss against Everton, a grand opening of Craven Cottage’s Riverside Stand. Its exoskeleton was a feature of the Thames during pandemic times, the bottom of the stand has been in partial service for the past three seasons. When contractor Buckingham Group in September 2023 collapsed it left the interior fit to be completed, plus much of the exterior; Buckingham’s collapse also delayed Liverpool’s Anfield Road redevelopment. Portview, the fit-out contractor, took control and full rollout comes before Fulham see out the 2024-25 season.

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