About
At first glance, Kenilworth Road may look like most older football stadiums in England, and Oak Road may look like most other streets of terraced houses. It is easy to miss that two pairs of houses on the latter actually double as entrances to the former! Besides having some of the most notorious gates of any stadium in the country, the staircases for Kenilworth Road's Oak Road End jut over neighbors' backyards, giving away fans a view of their windows!
When it was first opened in 1905, the stadium was located at the edge of Luton. Luton Town F.C. had moved there after their previous home a few blocks away were sold for housing. Their new home, however, proved to be more resilient, and remained as its surroundings were swallowed up by row houses. As the club's fortunes and following grew, however, they found it necessary to build a stand adjoining one row of houses, with entrances blended in and homes on top.
Oak Road residents have a mixed relationship with the stadium. While many enjoyed getting a free view of games, runaway footballs in their yards and even sometimes through their windows were once a common nuisance. Luton Town remedied this by placing netting and corrugated iron at the back of the stand, consequentially depriving residents of their view. Out-of-town hooligans are also a problem, often littering on game days. However, other residents are comforted by the extra police presence during such occasions.
With Luton Town briefly promoted to the Premier League in 2023, attendance especially by away fans has grown, necessitating last-minute renovations and putting more pressure on the surrounding area. For that reason, the club is planning to relocate to larger grounds closer to the town centre in 2027. What will then happen to Kenilworth Road and its unique entrances remains to be seen.
