No charge for police at London Stadium

West Ham United, Operators London Stadium 185 and stadium owners E20 Stadium LLP have not been charged for any police service at the London Stadium this season a freedom of information request has revealed today.

West Ham United paid the Metropolitan Police Service £45,874 for police services within the Boleyn Ground last season despite fifteen matches being completely police free in the Green street stadium.

Figures for this season show that no charges have been billed to the club, stadium operators and/or stadium owners so far with regards to policing the London Stadium. The freedom of information request is dated today, 18th November 2016.

A legal ruling in 2008 said that clubs could only be held liable for costs incurred for policing in their ‘footprint’, meaning inside a stadium or in private land immediately surrounding it. That means a substantial shortfall for the police for the cost of officers on the routes to and from the grounds.

In West Ham’s concessionaire agreement with the stadium Owners E20 Stadium LLP the contract says:

The Stadium owners shall be responsible for procuring and paying for the cost of all police services to be provided on an match days within the Stadium Island. However, it does go to say that in the event that the applicable Laws or ACPO Guidance for Football Deployment and Costs Recovery are amended then West Ham would have to pick up 50% of any additional charges.