Falcons chosen to deliver 2015 Rugby World Cup Fanzone in Newcastle
The Fanzone will be situated close to St James’ Park with the exact location still to be confirmed. It will be open for the duration of time when the three Rugby World Cup games are staged in Newcastle.
The Fanzone will feature big screens showing all tournament matches, a large covered marquee, bars and food, music, family entertainment, RWC sponsors and rugby related activity. It is anticipated to run on match-days in early October and will cover the games between Scotland v South Africa (3rd Oct), New Zealand v Tonga (9th Oct) and Samoa v Scotland (10th Oct). There will also be other events taking place in the space in the week leading up to Fanzone period and on days between the match dates.
The Fanzone will provide a central hub for rugby fans on RWC match-days and will be free of charge. It will be targeted at all ages and will see international visitors to the city mix with local people and those from across the north east.
Commenting on the announcement, Falcons Conference and Events Director Jane Shepstone said: “It’s brilliant news for the club that we have been chosen to deliver what will be a huge festival of rugby. In Ramside Event Catering we have a partner that is the leading outdoor event company in the north east.They will bring a tremendous amount of experience and a lot of ideas on how we make the Newcastle Rugby World Cup Fanzone a memorable experience for all who attend.
At the Falcons we cater for thousands of rugby fans up to 20 times a year. This is slightly different in that it will be open all day for around a fortnight. With the support of the Falcons Community Foundation we will bring the sport into the Fanzone and ensure that rugby is at the heart of everything we do.”
A full list of opening times, entertainment and events will be announced over the coming months.
Councillor Ged Bell, Cabinet member for Investment and development said: “I would like to congratulate Newcastle Falcons and Ramside Estates for their excellent proposal and we look forward to working with them to deliver a Rugby World Cup experience to be proud of. Both these organisations are very experienced in delivering large scale events and it is particularly pleasing that this tender has been won by North East based businesses – adding to the economic benefits of being a tournament host city.”
