Greenwich Park could host festival of football this summer with planned Euro 2020 fan zone

By Lachlan Leeming, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to host London’s biggest Euro 2020 fan zone in the borough of Greenwich are set to be decided on Wednesday.

Councillors will consider whether to approve the Greater London’s Authority’s (GLA) application, which would see 25.8 hectares of Greenwich Park transformed into a football festival during the 2020 European football championships.

The park is one of a number of fan zones proposed by the authority across the city, as London ramps up preparations for the quadrennial tournament.

Greenwich’s planning committee is required to sign off on the proposal for it to proceed.

According to a planning statement submitted on behalf of the GLA, the Greenwich Park Fan Zone will provide “a family-focused” venue, with huge broadcast screens, entertainment and food.

The zone could host up to 12 match days across the month-long event, which is set to run from June to July.

The application lodged would see a range of work undertaken in the park, including the erection of a main stage, food and drink vans, cabins and temporary barriers and security fencing.

Organisers expect thousands of visitors from both the UK and abroad to be attracted to Greenwich Park, which hosts five million visitors every year across its 83 acres of historic green space.

However, the move has not been supported in all corners – with community group the East Greenwich Residents’ Association objecting to the proposal amid concerns over anti-social behaviour, transport and traffic issues, and damage to the park that could occur.

A group statement said: “EGRA members are very puzzled by the applicant’s insistence on the need to sell alcohol at what they describe as a “family event”.

“There are six bars proposed. We would like to know what comparable space is being allocated to “family” facilities.

“We believe that an alcohol ban would be much more appropriate.”

The group also raised concerns about racist abuse and how it would be tackled within the fan zone.

“We would like to know how the organisers will deal with racist abuse inside the fan zone – unlike an actual football match there is no opportunity to stop the game while troublemakers are removed,” they wrote.