Wolves unveil new £18m Stan Cullis stand
Wolves take the wraps off their £18 million new Stan Cullis Stand tomorrow – and fans are in for a treat.
Wolves take the wraps off their £18 million new Stan Cullis Stand tomorrow – and fans are in for a treat.
The view is stunning from the front and the back of the gleaming gold and black structure, with the bars and restaurants airy and spacious, yet intimate, and the catering facilities offering real quality food at reasonable prices.
But the first thing that really strikes a chord on the journey up the gangways in the upper tier is not anything material.
It is how for the first time in decades that the stand swallows up the pitch, rather than the other way round, as Steve Morgan's vision to turn Molineux into an intimidating venue again that can almost suck the ball in to the net is on its way to being realised.
Sweeping up the two broad staircases to the new restaurant and bar area WV1, floor-to-ceiling glass panels allow the light to flood in. The atmosphere inside WV1, which splits in two for a 215 guest restaurant and 350-capacity bar area, is more New York warehouse feel, with exposed black painted steelwork and black tables and chairs.
And for those thinking the corporate facilities are out of reach, matchday packages start from £39 per person per game.
Stepping out of the corporate facilities, the matchday experience for everyday supporters are a big improvement too.
Following on from the view, the other thing to really catch the eye is the size of the concourse. Compared to its neighbour, the Billy Wright Stand, the walkways to the catering areas are more like a five-a-side pitch than a concourse. Six kiosks – two for away supporters – will cater for fans' hunger and thirst, while they can wash down their pies with a proper pint, as the new stand is the only one at Molineux to offer draught beer on a concourse.
While draining their glasses, fans will be able to watch games on giant low-lying TV screens dotted all around.
And the menu? Well, things have come a long way since the days of tasteless boiled burgers on the old South Bank terrace.
Three hundred lucky fans each game will get to sample the North Bank Bar, a separate pub-type bar where they can have a pint and watch TV before the match. All in all, there's something for everyone.