Abandoned Isle of Wight: Football Stadium
On the outskirts of a busy town on the Isle of Wight, not far from the High Street and busy main roads, this small football stadium lies decaying and overgrown. The stadium consisted of a number of small, sheltered standing stands, and a main stand with changing rooms beneath the seating.
A small kitchen with food counter and toilets sit crumbling close to the main stand. Somewhat peculiarly, the lights in the changing rooms were still on during our visit- 4 years after it had closed.
The stadium originally opened in 1888, though obviously changed a lot over the years. By the time of its closure in 2018, it had a capacity of 3200, including 300 seats. Its record attendance was in 2008, with 3112 spectators.
The local association club that used the ground have been temporarily sharing stadiums of other teams on the island, whilst waiting for the opening of their new expanded stadium in 2022.
The abandoned stadium will eventually be converted into a retail park, in keeping with the use of the land surrounding it. The new retail park will include a 24 hour gym, two drive-throughs and a petrol station, along with large retail units.
Last Updated on 31 December 2022 by Michael
