Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation1.

(1)

This Order may be cited as the Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2021 and comes into force on 7th December 2021.

(2)

This Order extends to England and Wales.

(3)

In this Order—

(a)

a “seat incorporating a barrier” is a seat that incorporates a barrier into its construction which limits the forward movement of spectators while allowing their lateral movement;

(b)

a “seat with an independent barrier” is a seat located directly behind a barrier which does not form part of the seat and which limits the forward movement of spectators while allowing their lateral movement.

Direction2.

The Secretary of State directs the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to include a condition imposing the requirements as respects the seating of spectators at designated football matches2 specified in Schedule 1 in any licence to admit spectators3 to the premises specified in Schedule 2.

Consequential amendments and revocation3.

(1)

In the Football Spectators (Seating) Order 19944, in the table in Schedule 1—

(a)

in column 2 (name of football club), omit the entry for “Chelsea” and the corresponding entry in column 1 (address of premises);

(b)

in column 2, omit the entry for “Manchester United” and the corresponding entry in column 1;

(c)

in column 2 omit the entry for “Tottenham Hotspur” and the corresponding entry in column 1.

(2)

In the Football Spectators (Seating) (No. 2) Order 20035, in the table in Schedule 1, in column 2 (name of football club), omit the entry for “Manchester City Football Club” and the corresponding entry in column 1 (address of premises).

(3)

The Football Spectators (Seating) Order 20096 is revoked.

Review4.

(1)

The Secretary of State must, from time to time—

(a)

carry out a review of the regulatory provision contained in this Order; and

(b)

publish a report setting out the conclusions of the review.

(2)

The first report must be published before 7th December 2026.

(3)

Subsequent reports must be published at intervals not exceeding five years.

(4)

Section 30(4) of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 20157 requires that a report published under this article must, in particular—

(a)

set out the objectives intended to be achieved by the regulatory provision referred to in paragraph (1)(a);

(b)

assess the extent to which those objectives are achieved;

(c)

assess whether those objectives remain appropriate; and

(d)

if those objectives remain appropriate, assess the extent to which they could be achieved in another way which involves less onerous regulatory provision.

(5)

In this article, “regulatory provision” has the same meaning as in sections 28 to 32 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (see section 32 of that Act).

Nigel Huddleston
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport