Special app will help fans avoid crowds and queues when 18,000 watch England at Edgbaston

England cricket fans will use a special app to order food and drink from their seats and view heat maps of the stadium to avoid congested areas and busy toilets, when they visit Edgbaston as part of the government’s next round of covid pilots.

The cricket ground is staging the second test between England and New Zealand from June 10-14, and has been given permission to host 18,000 fans – 70 per cent of the stadium’s capacity.

The pilot event will go way beyond the first round of trials, where capacity has been limited to 25% or less, after it was found there was no transmission of the virus at outdoor sports events.

The game will be played 11 days before Freedom Day when government hopes to lift all social distancing on June 21. 

The second Test of England’s series against New Zealand at Edgbastonis now a covid pilot

There will be no social distancing at Edgbaston, but the stadium is using a range of innovative solutions to minimise the risk of transmission of coronavirus. They include:

• obtaining a negative lateral flow test ahead of the match
• joining a ‘human snake’ to take the 20-minute walk to the stadium from Birmingham city centre to avoid public transport
• using post code analysis of spectators’ home addresses to lay on extra buses on busy routes to avoid overcrowding
• additional car parking spaces since fans may not want to use public transport
• wearing masks when not seated
• providing more than 300 hand sanitising stations
• using the ‘Edgbaston app’ for the ticket as well as ordering food and drink inside the ground
• using the app to identify routes around the ground that are not congested and check toilet queues are short

But in addition to all that the cricket will be played in a very well-ventilated stadium.

‘What has been shown in the pilots that have taken place so far is there has been no outdoor transmission,’ said Stuart Cain, stadium chief executive.

‘You are effectively in a four-acre park in Birmingham, it is not like an enclosed space.’

Edgbaston will welcome 18,000 fans each day for the second test against New Zealand

Currently, no event can have more than 25 per cent stadium capacity, up to a maximum of 10,000 people, as part of step three in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

England fans can keep their eye on the action by ordering beer from their seats at Edgbaston

Step four could take place as soon as June 21 when all social distancing may be lifted, provided the spread of the virus remains under control and the vaccination programme continues to roll out. The next stage of the

The first phase of pilot events relied upon testing attendees to ensure they did not have the virus, as well as social distancing once inside.

But sport has been clear that social distancing is not a viable option to support the return of fans in large numbers and the next phase of events are designed to test much greater capacities with additional safeguards.

The events include 12,000 spectators attending Royal Ascot each day from June 15-19 and 22,000 fans at Wembley for England’s Euro 2020 group games against Croatia on June 13 and Scotland on June 18. Some of them are expected to include testing covid passports, which will confirm if a person is vaccinated against coronavirus or received a negative test.

Two of England’s Euro 2020 matches against Croatia and Scotland at Wembley are also pilots

There are plans in place to accommodate those who do not have a smartphone and cannot use the app, but Edgbaston is hoping that most people will be able to access the technology.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has given an upbeat assessment on the return of crowds

In a sign of what the rest of us can expect at events as the country opens up during the summer, fans will be required to register on a government website five days before the match and they will be sent lateral flow and PCR tests.

The lateral flow test must be completed before the game and the result registered with the government website. Supporters will receive a text or email confirming the result, which they will present to stewards at Edgbaston before they are allowed near the ground.

Ticket and bag checks will be conducted once they are through an outer cordon.

While fans may find themselves sat next to people in the stadium, who are not in their party, contact around the ground will be limited through the Edgbaston app.

Supporters will order food and drink on the app and will be notified when and where to collect it.

In addition, Edgbaston has employed at technology company to monitor crowd flows around the stadium and it will highlight, via the app hotspots, around concourses, bars and toilets, which can then be avoided.

Masks have to be worn when fans are not in their seats. After the event fans complete the PCR test and return it to establish if they picked the virus during their visit to the cricket.

Cain said the 70 per cent capacity was a ‘pragmatic figure’ based on Public Health England’s assessment of what would be safe in the stadium and outside given it is the first attempt.

12,000 spectators will be allowed to attend Royal Ascot next month as part of new pilot events

However, sports organisations hope that number can rise further to full capacity in the near future.

‘We cannot get to more than 50 per cent capacity with any social distancing,’ added Cain. What the Events Research Programme are trying to do is get to 50-100 per cent capacity. What are the protocols you need to deliver that?

‘As much as possible anyone coming into the stadium has a negative lateral flow test and does not have covid. That is the closest you can get to ensure you have a safe crowd.

‘It is trying to get from where we are now at 25 per cent capacity, up to 50 per cent plus and hopefully full crowds.’

There will be no social distancing at Edgbaston for the second test against New Zealand

The initial phase of the mass events pilots staged earlier this month went well — particularly at Wembley, with the 40,000 fans attending the FA Cup final, semi-final and Carabao Cup final not producing a single positive test for Covid-19 between them.

Of the 58,000 people who attended events across the sport and entertainment industry there were just 15 Covid cases, with only four positives emerging from the 17 days of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield despite it being staged indoors at the Crucible Theatre.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden expressed hope on Tuesday that capacity crowds could be allowed at some venues after June 21.

The FA are working towards a best-case scenario of 50 per cent capacity for England’s final group game on June 22 and the knockout stages.

However, upbeat assessments from ministers continue to fuel hope that capacity crowds could yet be achieved this summer. The Euro 2020 final takes place on July 11.