Tackling Twickenham – assessing the cathedral of rugby

(No penalties for the puns please)

Q: Why did you choose this building?

A: We have assessed quite a few stadiums at BCH, but I would love to try and tackle the home of English Rugby, and if anyone there is listening and there’s an offside chance, I’m available for a site visit on Saturday 11th March around 4pm – me and 82,000 others! This cathedral of rugby has evolved over time with improvements, enhancements and the odd conversion to become the fourth largest stadium in Europe.

Q: What would be the key concerns about rebuilding here?

A: It would be a tough challenge although access from all flanks would assist, the sheer scale of rebuilding this fortress would cause a ruckus and delays could have a knock on effect.

Q: Interesting fact about this building?

A: The pitch is still in the exact the same place as it was in 1909 and though the grass has been re-laid many times since and is now one of the most advanced pitches in the world, the earth beneath is still the old dirt dug out from the Metropolitan Line.

Q: If you could survey and assess any building in the world, which would you choose?

Apart from Twickers? For something similar and closer to my roots, Croke Park, but for something very different, St Basil’s Cathedral.

Q: What do you do when you are not working?

A: Mainly family time with my two young daughters although I also follow Arsenal and Leicester Tigers, play guitar and tinker with my motorbikes. I’m also a qualified artistic gymnastics coach and help out at a local academy.