Nottingham Forest: City Ground capacity reduced to zero by local council

The usual capacity of Nottingham Forest's City Ground is 30,445.

The capacity of Nottingham Forest's City Ground has been reduced to zero, 29 days before the new season starts.

Paul McKay, service director for public protection at Nottinghamshire County Council, said the club does not have a required safety certificate holder.

They are due to host Hull in a friendly on 30 July, with their season starting against Burton at home on 6 August.

"We had an audit and we had to make the decision to reduce the capacity to zero," he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

The ground, which was partly redeveloped in the 1980s and 1990s, normally has a capacity of 30,445.

However, due to recent staff changes at the City Ground there was no person nominated as safety certificate holder in time for the initial annual review of the stadium.

"It's unusual," McKay said. "Normally these things would be planned.

"They've had a named person, that person is unable to fulfil those duties at the moment so the club are looking to appoint a new safety certificate holder.

"What I want to assure people is that we are working very closely with Forest. We had a number of meetings with them and we are hoping this might be resolved in the next few days."

Nottingham Forest said they were working with the council to ensure a suitable person will be appointed as the club's safety certificate holder.

"[The club] has a healthy, long-standing relationship with the county council and all parties are working together to resolve this matter as quickly and efficiently as possible," a statement said.