Luton Town's upgraded Kenilworth Road ready for Premier League
- Published
Finishing touches have been added to Luton Town's Kenilworth Road home ahead of their first home top-flight fixture since 1992.
Luton host West Ham United later after their Premier League promotion.
One prominent change is to its famously unconventional entrance sandwiched in terraced housing, newly sponsored and rebranded the Domino's Oak Stand.
The ground also features a new-look Bobbers Stand after a £10m revamp to bring it up to league standards.
Visitors will notice the famous Oak Stand has been repainted as part of a sponsorship deal with Domino's Pizza, the gates emblazoned with the words "history is made in Luton" .
Now known as the Domino's Oak Stand, it displays 1885 as the year the club was born, alongside 1985, when the pizza chain's first UK branch opened in the town.
Helen Gatward, from the Luton Town Supporters' Trust, admitted she was unsure what to make of the new branding at first but welcomed the opportunity to recoup some of the money spent on upgrades.
She said: "I was a bit unsure if it was real when I first saw the photo but personally, I think our away end is still totally unique and iconic, branded or not.
"Branding at the Oak Road stand is not something that has ever been done before, but it's no doubt a hefty sponsorship deal worth a lot of money for the club."
Hatters commercial director Chris Bell said: "We're proud to be working alongside such an iconic and beloved brand to support our team and our town as we head into the toughest year of football we've faced, with the support firmly in our corner."
The stand has become famous - and a popular social media post - as supporters have to file through turnstiles squeezed between local residents' front doors, then ascend metal stairways that rise above the gardens of the adjoining homes.
The club has paid for about 20 of these gardens to be improved by contractors including Jay Islam.
He said: "It has historically caused some distress for local residents being so close to the ground so the club wanted to give back to them.
"As part of celebrating promotion to the Premier League, they want to improve their back gardens and say thank you."
Mohammed Qurban lives close to the ground and was pleased the improvements had been made in time: "This is absolutely fantastic to make this possible for tonight. It's been wonderful.
"Every time I go to the mosque they are there working hard, day and night. They've done well."
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