The illuminated West Ham United sign is unlikely to be taken down for the Athletics World Championships in August this summer. The Athletics meeting requires a clean stadium and in December last year the Times ran a headline saying ‘West Ham sign to be taken down’
However, ClaretandHugh have learnt that other alternatives are being looked at to avoid considerable costs to the taxpayer purse again and the sign will most likely be turned off and covered up instead.
A freedom of information request published on 27th January said:
“The requirement to remove or conceal the sign has yet to be agreed with London 2017, the organisers of the IPC Para Athletics World Championships and IAAF World Athletics Championships, and it is entirely possible that the sign will remain, as is, during both championships. It should also be noted that this is just one method of removing West Ham branding from the stadium should a non West Ham event require it, and that concealment is an alternative solution that is being explored.’
The London Legacy Development Agency say if they are forced to remove the sign it would involve the following activities:
- Manufacture of Transportation “A” Frames
- Hire costs for a Large Flatbed Low Loader Lorry with mounted crane
- Hire costs for 2-off 135 Genie Boom MEWPs
- Hire of Heras Fencing for creating safe working zones around MEWPS
- 2-off Teams of Installation Engineers (2 x 2 man crews)
- Delivery of West Ham Sign to nearby storage location
On costs they say as this service has not yet been procured, the estimated figure is being withheld under commercial interests exemption.
A club insider told ClaretandHugh: “They can take anything West Ham branded down for the Athletics World Championships, but they think it will be too expensive and difficult to take the West Ham United sign down, so they may just switch off the illumination . It’s not really a matter for the club as long as everything is restored to as it was for West Ham’s first game of the season.”
Take it down, reinstall it then never have another athletics event there again !
Athletic event in August! So does that mean a nightmare with the seating for the start of next season?
We have asked the Premier League to play our first two PL fixture away from home. It doesn’t finish until the 13th August so it will take another 10 days to move the seats back. 23rd August is the earliest the stadium will be ready for us next season.
Are athletics fans so precious they can’t walk past a switched off sign without going into one? Surely they go to appreciate what’s going on in the stadium, not complain about the exterior signage.