Visible from the fringes of Liverpool city centre, the walk along the connecting Regent Road to Bramley-Moore Dock offers the first hint of a regeneration which, the club claim, will be worth an estimated £1.3b ($2.82b) to the United Kingdom economy during the stadium’s lifespan.
The dock’s initial purpose when constructed in 1848 was to expand the city’s dock system to the north. Now 177 years on, it is the bloom of commercial activity which is anticipated as bars and restaurants inevitably follow the foot-flow on match days, accelerating £650m growth in this previously neglected area of the city.
The first match-day trade was already booming in the pub directly opposite the stadium entrance.
Sir Elton John’s I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues was at full blast from the bar of the Bramley-Moore Hotel. Everton’s owners hope it is not long before such marquee acts are playing nearby as it is purpose-built to host open-air concerts and festivals.
In keeping with a modern retro theme, the nods to Liverpool’s maritime history are plentiful. The Grade II-listed Hydraulic Tower and Engine Room has been restored at a cost of £55m and is a centrepiece of the fan plaza near the entrance.
Around the perimeter of the South Stand is a trail christened “The Everton Way”, allowing supporters to secure a cobbled paving stone bearing their name. The club confirmed how Gary Neville was blocked from making a mischievous purchase to enable Jamie Carragher having the honour of being one of the first inductees.
The interiors of many of the corporate and hospitality lounges still need fitting – there are 32 executive lounges compared to just 12 at Goodison Park – and the concourses promise a vastly different fan experience to the congested Goodison.
Everton appointed a Michelin-recognised culinary director, Adam Bateman, to oversee the catering. The opening-day menu included South Korean chicken with fried rice for £10.50 and an aptly named toffee doughnut costing £3.50.
There are plans afoot for a Dixie Dean pie – a modern take on the legendary striker’s favourite pre-match meal of tripe and onion. On the evidence of the taster menu provided last night, that will be more delectable than it sounds.
Pitchside, the compactness is striking, putting one instantly in mind of Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena. The players will feel as close to the stands as they do at Goodison, maximising the full potential of a hostile environment for visiting teams.
Naturally, the true atmosphere cannot be measured until the capacity is full with 52,888 spectators. The opening Under-18 friendly between Everton and Wigan Athletic felt a little like those in lockdown, although the pre-match roar and the playing of Z-Cars caused enough goosebumps to signal what will come with the first Premier League game in August, and even more so during the most intense evening fixtures.
Fans praise ‘mind-blowing’ stadium
Supporters were already in the mood as the giant screen in the North Stand welcomed them with highlights of last week’s Merseyside derby, closely followed by a time-grab video showing the stadium construction from first brick to glorious completion.
“Mind-blowing, fabulous and amazing,” was the review of supporter Peter Cross, a Goodison season-ticket holder of 25 years.
“That was what we all thought when we came in. The sheer size of it is very impressive. Like everyone else I think it will take getting used to being away from Goodison, but when it’s full we can imagine how great the atmosphere will be.”
The opening test event unveiled “the Blue Wall” of the South Stand with a capacity, when full, of 14,000.
With respect to the teams, those in attendance were more captivated by the general “I was there” tour experience than the match itself.
History will record the first kick was registered by Everton midfielder Ademide Akarakiri, and the opening goal came from Wigan’s Harrison Rimmer after 13 minutes – evidently a Liverpool fan as he cheekily celebrated by holding six digits to mark a certain number of European Cup wins.
Everton’s first scorer was Ray Robert, and the match-winner in the away side’s 2-1 victory was Wigan’s Cole Simms.
By fulltime, Everton’s prolonged relocation felt more real than ever.
From grand old lady to supermodel granddaughter
It was still the Nineties when Everton first suggested Goodison Park was no longer “fit for purpose” in the modern Premier League. There were many aborted stadium plans, from the King’s Dock at the turn of the Millennium to the deeply unpopular proposal to leave the city boundaries for Kirkby, successfully resisted by supporters.
Now, after 133 years, Everton finally have another place to call home. It has been an occasionally painful journey getting here, but if Goodison was the grand old lady, this is the supermodel granddaughter.
