'Franklin' Gardens is home to the double winning champions of England Northampton Saints Rugby Club. In 2013, the Club won both the Aviva Premiership for the first time and the Amlin Challenge Cup for a second time in five years.
The Ground currently has capacity to hold over 13,500 people and has 40 corporate boxes. It is also a Northampton Conference Centre as well as the only UK Aviva Premiership Rugby ground with its own cenotaph.
Whittle were approached by the previous Stadium Manager Melvyn Payne who had kept a business card from several years ago in Feb 2013 to price painting for the main Tetley Stand, followed by a return visit in June 2013 to price the Church's Stand. Both jobs were successfully won and all works were completed in 2013.
Dulux were the preferred supplier with a specification that allowed for a full clean, spot prime and two full coats Metalshield in RAL 9003.
Access to both stands proved challenging. The Church’s Stand was only accessible utilising 60’ mobile hoists from the adjoining housing estate owned by TLS St James from whom permission was sought. This also provided Whittle with an opportunity to price the whole estate, which now has a five year programme!
The Tetley Stand was accessed off the main driveway off scissor lifts, and a 40 metre articulated boom to extend over the roof to reach the high level roof steel.
Whittle are now currently awaiting the outcome of a further proposal submitted for works on the South Stand which will require use of a 53m truck mount to gain access over a lake.
We were fortunate in losing very little time due to poor weather and the client has been delighted with the outcome.
Whittle Operations Manager Andrew Simpson said:
"Northampton Saints approached Whittle with a stadium that had not been painted or received little attention since construction. After assessing the current condition we decided that a full power wash/clean was required, and that the best solution was to use a quality exterior metal paint. Dulux Metalshield was the preferred specification, and the outcome has been spectacular in the upgrade to the overall appearance of the two stands now completed.”
“We are extremely pleased with the work undertaken by Whittle in cleaning and repainting two of our stands at Franklin Gardens, Northampton. The staff were very helpful and worked around ongoing events, enabling us to keep the premises open throughout the redecoration and the finished product looks very impressive.”
Andy Tresias
Stadium Manager
Office 2 Prenton Business Park, Prenton Way, CH43 3EA
