Riverside news round-up

Last updated : 27 August 2005 By Reggie Holdsworth
Supporters are advised to arrive early for Sunday’s Barclays Premiership home match with Charlton Athletic at the Riverside Stadium (ko 1.30pm) because of enhanced security measures and a new road lay-out on the A66.

In common with other Premiership clubs, Boro are making extra security checks in the wake of the London terrorist incidents. These may result in delays at turnstiles so supporters are urged to arrive at the stadium in good time.

Fans are also politely requested not to bring bags and rucksacks. These will be searched, again raising the possibility of delays.

Operations Manager Terry Tasker says: “We urge supporters to take extra time for their journey to the stadium, particularly in view of changed access arrangements from the A66.

Drivers on the A66 will encounter the new Middehaven interchange, which involves the removal of the temporary roundabout at North Ormesby. East and west traffic flow will travel under the new bridge linking Middlehaven to North Ormesby.

Traffic travelling eastbound on the A66 (towards Redcar) that requires access to the Riverside Stadium or North Ormesby will have to leave the A66 via the slip road and travel up to the junction with the new bridge. This junction will be controlled by traffic lights, and traffic wanting to access the Riverside Stadium will turn left towards Shepherdson Way bridge.

Traffic needing to access North Ormesby will need to turn right, travelling over the new bridge and down to Borough Road via the new slip road.

Traffic travelling westbound (towards Middlesbrough) on the A66 which requires to access the Riverside Stadium or North Ormesby will need to turn off on to the slip road. At the junction with the new bridge, which will be controlled by traffic lights, traffic will need to turn right over the new bridge to access the Riverside Stadium or left to access Borough Road and North Ormesby.

Traffic travelling from North Ormesby will travel up the new slip road and access the A66 westbound by turning left at the junction with the new bridge. To access the A66 eastbound, traffic will need to cross the new bridge and turn right down the slip road on to the A66. To access Shepherdson Way, traffic travels straight across the new bridge and down the new slip road.

Traffic travelling from the Riverside Stadium can access North Ormesby by travelling over the new bridge and travel via the new slip road into Borough Road. To access the eastbound A66 carriageway they must turn left at the junction with the new bridge, or to access the westbound carriageway they must travel over the new bridge and turn right at the junction with the westbound slip road.



Inside the stadium fans will be able to try out Boro's new catering products:

Healthy new food products will be on offer to fans attending Boro’s game with Charlton this Sunday as the Jamie Oliver effect reaches the Riverside Stadium.

The Riverside’s concourse kiosks – now named after past and present Boro stars – will be selling sandwiches, jacket potatoes, noodles, soup and fruit.

Boro supporters have requested the new healthy food ranges. The football club carried out an online catering survey over the summer, with many fans asking for healthier choices.

Bags of fruit will be available at all of the concourse kiosks on Sunday. Jacket potatoes with mince and vegetable soup will initially be available only from Schwarzer’s, Cooper’s and Pearson’s kiosks (1, 3 and 5). Pie and peas is also being introduced for the first time at these kiosks.

Thai chicken noodle boxes and chicken salad and tuna malted rolls will only be available from Fleming’s, Southgate’s, Slaven’s, Millsy’s, Peacock’s and Ripley’s kiosks (2, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10). If the products proved popular then they will be made available at all kiosks in future.

Boro’s burgers, the club’s biggest selling food product, have also been given a revamp for health-conscious supporters, with fat content reduced by 10 per cent and further reductions planned. Boro’s health push has also led to discussions to introduce Lo Salt to all food products.

Although two out of every three fans who completed the survey felt the club already offered enough variety and choice in the food offered, four out of five were in favour of the introduction of healthy eating options.

Howard Porteous, Boro’s Catering Manager, said: “We received much positive feedback from our survey, including some very interesting ideas. Some of those we’ve been able to introduce. With Jamie Oliver pioneering healthy eating, we wanted to introduce more such products that might prove popular.”



And finally don't forget to buy your Boro Jackpot tickets:

The lucky winner of this Sunday’s Boro Jackpot will be jetting off to Greece to watch Boro in their first UEFA Cup away game of the season against Xanthi.

The fantastic first prize means two flight and match tickets for the first number picked out. The Jackpot draw will be made at half-time during the Charlton match, it could be YOU!

But to have a chance of winning you must purchase a Boro Jackpot ticket, with tickets priced just £1, and profits going towards the club’s Academy to find the next Stewart Downing. Jackpot tickets are available in and around the stadium before Sunday’s big game.