Stadium owners defeated but green pitch surround remains

A green pitch surround is again being placed around the Hammers pitch  in advance of the new Premier League season despite an expert determination saying such a surround is unfit for purpose and suggesting it is a trip hazard.

West Ham and stadium owners E20 entered an expert determination process earlier this year to resolve a number of disputes between the club and the owners about the legal interpretation of clauses in the 99-year-old concessionaire agreement over which they disagreed.

ClaretandHugh understand West Ham won every point in the legal expert determination process, one of which included replacing the pitch surround with a safer material with a different contrasting colour.

The club were also awarded their legal costs which are said to be considerable, while it is claimed that E20 is yet to make good on any of the points they lost on.

A photo of the London Stadium pitch from yesterday posted on social media shows a green surround being installed again at a cost to the taxpayer of around £380,000 despite West Ham offering to pay for a claret surround themselves.

Manchester United player Phil Jones is one of the players to trip over the pitch surround as the video below shows. Former Hammer Cheik Kouyate was another player to trip over the pitch surround.

A source close to the Mayor of London’s office confirmed that E20 had lost the expert determination case with West Ham but refused to reveal how stadium owners E20 would proceed to resolve the issues on which they were defeated.

When contacted West Ham refused to comment on the subject saying the matter was with their legal advisors.

https://youtu.be/SK3Vzx0lRIA