Hibs to introduce safe standing at Easter Road

Scottish Premiership football club Hibernian has detailed plans to introduce safe standing at Easter Road for the 2024-25 season.

A rail seating section will be added to the lower tier of the Famous Five Stand, with work to begin in the summer.

Hibernian launched a consultation process to invite fan suggestions to improve the matchday atmosphere at Easter Road. The Edinburgh-based club also held wider consultation meetings with season ticket holders in the Famous Five Stand who would be affected by the introduction of safe standing.

The surveys found that 83% of supporters are in favour of safe standing being introduced in the lower tier of the stand, with 82% believing the section would improve the Easter Road atmosphere.

If safe standing was introduced in the section, 51% of current season ticket holders in this area said they would either remain in the section or be interested in more information. The lower tier of the Famous Five Stand is Hibernian’s designated family section.

Hibernian is now working behind the scenes to finalise how safe standing will be introduced, with a new designated family area to also be introduced with prices that match the 2023-24 Famous Five lower tier family pricing.

Full information on how safe standing will be implemented will be shared with supporters before 2024-25 season tickets go on sale. Once more information on how safe standing will be implemented has been released, fans will be able to register their interest in moving to this area.

Ben Kensell, chief executive of Hibernian, said: “Firstly we would like to thank all the supporters that have engaged with us through this consultation process. The information, opinions, and data that we’ve gained has been incredibly insightful and helped us come to this decision.

“The introduction of safe standing in the summer will be a big step for Hibernian FC in terms of improving the matchday experience at Easter Road, something that we as a club, and board of directors, are very passionate about. The consultation process also highlighted how important this is to supporters, how beneficial they believe safe standing will be, and ultimately showed us that the fans want it to be implemented.”

Fellow Scottish Premiership clubs Celtic and Kilmarnock already have safe standing sections at their stadiums.