Shailesh Vara MP has visited Peterborough United Football Club where he met with CEO Bob Symns to discuss the Club’s efforts to get supporters back into the stadium. The Club is based in Mr Vara’s constituency and he was joined by neighbouring MP and colleague Paul Bristow.

Shailesh Vara MP has visited Peterborough United Football Club where he met with CEO Bob Symns to discuss the Club’s efforts to get supporters back into the stadium. The Club is based in Mr Vara’s constituency and he was joined by neighbouring MP and colleague Paul Bristow.

Peterborough United, also known as POSH, have not had fans in their stadium since March of this year when the whole country went into lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. Whilst football matches have since resumed, they are played behind closed doors and no spectators are allowed into stadiums to support their teams.

The two MPs discussed with Mr Symns the impact that the coronavirus pandemic is having on the Club and they saw first-hand the measures that have been put in place in order for the stadium to be covid secure, allowing for the safe return of a limited number of fans to see matches.

The Club fully appreciates the need for safety measures and feels that in an open-air stadium it would be possible to have a limited number of people on the terraces whilst adhering to all the necessary social distancing and safety rules.

Following the visit Mr Vara said:

“I’m grateful to Bob for making time for the meeting. It’s really important that the Club can get some spectators back on the terraces, socially distanced, to see matches. We are living in difficult times, but I was very impressed with the safety measures that Bob and the Club have put in place. A huge amount of work has gone into making the preparations and it would be absolutely fantastic to see fans returning. It’s good for the fans, good for the Club and good for the local community.”

Paul Bristow MP commented:

“This was a very good meeting and it was good of Bob to see us. It is clear that a lot of work has been done by Bob and the Club in recent weeks to prepare these safety measures. They are detailed and aim to allow for the safe return of fans back into the stadium, which is so important. Despite the pandemic, it would be great to see people returning to support POSH which I know many people in our great city of Peterborough really want to happen”

CEO Bob Sims added:

“It was good to see Shailesh and Paul at the Club and discuss the Club’s plans to get spectators back in the stadium. They saw first-hand the detailed safety measures that have been put in place to allow a limited number of spectators back in. Of course, we understand the unprecedented circumstances we are all living under, but we’ve been working hard to put in place covid secure measures, and we hope that soon we can have fans back on the terraces.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP, CEO Bob Symns and Paul Bristow MP