The ECHO was given a tour of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock
Everton’s first competitive match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is fast approaching. A sell-out crowd is expected for the Blues' match against Brighton on Sunday.
It is the first time in 133 years the Blues will play a home league match away from Goodison Park after three successful test events throughout this year. The final test event was held with a friendly against Italian side Roma on September 9. Ahead of the weekend fixture, the ECHO was invited by Everton for a complete tour of the stadium as they sought to address issues that were noticed at the Roma match.
The club also explained the food and drink options available at the new stadium and the various hospitality areas, as well as the measures taken to improve phone signal and why a bird of prey could be spotted flying around the pitch today.
How to get in to the stadium
You enter the stadium using a digital ticket
You enter the stadium using a digital ticket(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Before the friendly earlier this month, many of the concerns from fans had been centred around how to get to the stadium, with fears that Sandhills would struggle to handle the amount of fans passing through the stadium. Merseytravel had suggested that walking from Moorfields instead would be a good way to "get your steps in”.
But the ECHO has been told that the main issues fans faced were not related to getting to and from the stadium. The first problem was actually getting into the stadium itself with digital tickets.
Tickets had started to be digitised in the last few years at Goodison and entering the new stadium will work in much the same way. You must make sure your ticket is downloaded to the e-wallet on your phone beforehand. Using an email containing your ticket will not work.
Have your ticket open in your wallet as you approach the turnstile and place it on top of the black box to get in. Alternatively, you can scan the barcode on your ticket on the bottom of the machine.
Making your way around
The other issue club staff noticed was that fans tended to congregate in one part of the stadium when they got in. At Goodison, and many other stadiums, you’re restricted to staying in just one stand.
But the design of the Hill Dickinson means fans can walk around and explore other areas. This means if there's a big queue for drinks in one part of it, you can move to another.
Self-pour and Through Pass sections
A pint of Koppaberg cider at one of the self-pour machines
A pint of Koppaberg cider at one of the self-pour machines
There will be two new ways to get food and drinks at the stadium. The first are the self-pour machines, known as “EBars”. There are 22 of these around the stadium.
The clue is in the name - these machines pour the pints for you. Staff, or "hosts" as the club calls them, will hand you a plastic cup in the queue. You then go up to the machine which has the drink you want, tap your card and then the drink will be poured for you.
The machine the ECHO used dispensed Koppaberg cider and Guinness, but other options will be available at different machines. Everton’s website says: “These self-serve drinks kiosks dispense the perfect pint in a few seconds.”
The other new options are four “Through Pass” areas, which use Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology. In these units, you tap your credit or debit card on the turnstile at the entry gate.
You then walk through, grabbing whatever food and drinks you want. A series of cameras located above will create an "avatar" of yourself, recognising what products you are buying. Staff will be on hand to assist you.
When you’ve finished, just walk out and you’ll be automatically charged for whatever you take. You’ll be charged a pending placeholder fee of £20 on your card initially before the correct amount is taken later.
Evertonians and supporters of other clubs are used to staying and queuing in one part of a stadium for food and drinks, but the Hill Dickinson wants people visiting to have a far more seamless experience.
Why you should be able to get signal on your phone
Fans at Goodison were used to the patchy reception you’d get in and around the ground, but this shouldn’t be a problem at the Hill Dickinson. Around the stadium is a Distributed Antenna System (DAS).
This is a network of strategically placed antennas that enhance wireless coverage and capacity within a building or area. This means you should be able to get good internet access through the ground.
Free Wi-Fi will be available. It will not be used to try and sign you up to marketing communications from the club - you just have to accept the terms and conditions to use it.
Watch out for the bird of prey
When the ECHO was being shown around the pitch, we spotted a bird of prey and its handler. The Hill Dickinson has a bird of prey due to the amount of birds like pigeons and seagulls which are prominent on the banks of the Mersey. It’s hoped the bird of prey will deter these animals.
Hospitality options
The Sir Rupert is one of four pubs located in the Village Street hospitality section
The Sir Rupert is one of four pubs located in the Village Street hospitality section
There are a massive range of hospitality options available at the new stadium which all have padded seats as part of the package. These are:
Navigator - this offers an a la carte dining experience with views of the pitch and multiple TV screens. The seats are cinema-style with in-built heating, private screens and charging points.
Trinity Place bar and restaurant - the bar contains treasured memorabilia with the restaurant offering a three-course menu.
Domingo's Bar and Grill - a steakhouse with views of the pitch on one side and the Mersey on the other.
Beyond - a restaurant where you can see into the tunnel the players and coaches use to enter and exit the pitch.
Village Street - offering street food with the choice of four different pubs in one long corridor.