It is one of the most historic landmarks in world rugby but the creaking Recreation Ground will soon have its 21st century makeover.
Having submitted plans to modernise their stadium in 2018, Bath have finally received approval to develop an updated 18,000-capacity stadium, up from the current 14,500.
The wobbly scaffolding stands will be replaced with permanent structures designed by architects who have worked with Tottenham Hotspur and at Wimbledon.
Daily Mail Sport can reveal the club want to be at the forefront of augmented reality developments in sports stadiums, with a tender out to a series of tech firms.
The Rec will not part ways with its traditional values but the club’s CEO, Tarquin McDonald, wants fans to be able to point phones at their favourite player and track their heart-rates during the action.
‘Everyone has access to smartphones now,’ McDonald tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘Being able to access data, stats and video in-game is essential. If you look to the States, they have so much data and information during the game. Some purists just want to have their eyes on the action but the ability to access data is a real opportunity.
‘We want people to be able to connect to key stats and imagery on their phones through the game. We want to use augmented reality so fans can see the height of kicks or the speed of Henry Arundell during the game.
'The speed and pace of change is accelerating, so that’s where the opportunity is for us.’
As well as working with stadium architects F3, the club are also in consultation with Kay Elliott, a heritage expert who has worked on projects such as the £10million restoration of Blackpool Tower.
‘We want to retain everything that makes The Rec special: the access to the players, the intimacy, being able to hear the talk behind the posts,’ says McDonald.
‘We also want to bring in new things to get excited about. We’re not going to be the biggest stadium. We don’t have the scale of someone like Tottenham but what we can do is be really smart about how we bring in technology to create an amazing experience.
'We’ve got two screens in our application. One is retractable, towards the Johnstone Street end, a supersized screen that doesn’t create any impact outside of game days.’
Bath have an affluent following, consistently selling out despite having one of the highest ticket prices in the top flight.
There has been limited scope for exclusive hospitality offerings but tiered packages will boost revenues in the new arena.
‘We have an intimate and tightly controlled space so we need to reduce queue times and give more choice to customers,’ says McDonald.
‘Speed of pour, cashless, ordering via an app. We want to cater for everyone. A brilliant burger, a brilliant pint. People want choice.
‘On a matchday, we’ll have many more tiers of hospitality. From a general admission plus, up to a really high-end experience.
'We want to create some fantastic hospitality experiences that provide access behind the scenes.
'A tunnel club. We want to bring in technology to enhance the experience for everyone on site. We’d like to be able to have guest chefs.
'We’d like to partner with local restaurants, whether that’s the Michelin-starred Olive Tree or Walcott House.
‘Look at Fulham in the Premier League. Craven Cottage is a really interesting ground for us. They’ve got that riverside grandstand and they’ve created it into a destination around Fulham Pier.
'That’s the opportunity for us, on a smaller scale, creating that riverside destination. The riverside hasn’t really been brought to life so 100 per cent we’ll activate that.
‘Outside of matchdays we’ll have conference facilities, a fantastic riverside brasserie on the top floor of the West Stand. It’s a sustainable 365-days-a-year offering.’
It is a big project with big ambitions. McDonald and his team are reluctant to commit themselves to public timeframes.
The council are now awaiting authorisation from the government before planning permission is granted. There are no plans to relocate during the construction process and Bath have hopes of hosting more than just regular club fixtures.
‘We’ve got an amazing Women’s World Cup going on at the moment but it’s not possible for our ground to host pool stages and knockout games,’ says McDonald.
‘Our new stadium will be able to host international rugby. We want to use The Rec to host international games alongside being the home of Bath Rugby. We’d love to be hosting games in the World Club Cup.’
McDonald adds: ‘We hope to be moving into construction in the not-too-distant future.
‘Our plan is to continue playing at The Rec and phase the build accordingly. How good would it be to take all the supporters on the journey with us and keep all the value within the city? That’s the plan.
‘The reason we have worked for so long to get all the various consultees and government agencies on board is because The Rec is the right place for Bath.
'It’s a place that has an emotional connection. It would have been unconscionable if the council hadn’t given their approval. The reality is, if you’re not developing at The Rec then you’re looking at an out-of-town location.
'That completely changes the character of the club and the character of the city.
‘People want rugby to stay in the centre of Bath. Look at the images from the 15th June, the day after that amazing day at Twickenham, there were tens of thousands of people on the streets.
'That wasn’t just about rugby; it was about community. There isn’t a top-flight football club here. This is a rugby town. Keeping The Rec as a hub for the community is vital for Bath.’
