Hunslet Hawks RLFC have received a timely boost by meeting the minimum ground capacity requirements for the Championship.
Revised rules for the RFL Championship season in 2013 require clubs to have a minimum ground capacity of 3000. John Charles Centre For Sport Stadium ground capacity is currently listed at 2450.
The club has announced that following discussions with Leeds City Council a risk assessment haslooked at the feasibility of using the grass banking opposite the main stand for spectator purposes on match days. While the assessment showed that temporary barriers and additional stewards would be required to make the space suitable it concluded that the grass banking could hold upto 1,000 spectators safely.
Following further discussions with the RFL the club has announced that they have accepted that the ground capacity at JCCS now stands at 3,450, allowing Hawks to compete in the Championship next season.
A Hawks statement said:
“We would like to thank the council and the RFL for their support in this process.
“On a separate note our current lease is due to expire in 2015. We are pleased to announce that discussions have already begun with the council on securing a long-term lease beyond 2015.”
