Coventry City Football Club
Founded 1883
The Ricoh Arena
Phoenix Way
Foleshill
Coventry
CV6 6GE

Tel (Main Switchboard): 0870 421 1987

After an action-packed 106 years, the doors to Highfield Road closed forever at the end of the 2004/2005 season.

Coventry City Football Club moved to the state-of-the-art Ricoh Arena in the summer of 2005, playing their first ever game there against Queens Park Rangers on August 20.

Costing £113 million, the Ricoh Arena is one of the UK's top entertainment, sports and business venues.

The 32,000 capacity all-seater stadium covers a 72.5 acre site and since its opening, has held two 40,000 capacity open air concerts (Bon Jovi and Red Hot Chilli Peppers).

It features an indoor 6,000 square metre exhibition and concert hall perfect for trade shows, conferences and rock concerts (such as with Beverley Knight in March 2007), with capacity for 8,000 spectators.

Soon to be the home of the Isle of Capri's flagship casino, one of the finest outside the US and 'complete' entertainment centre, the multi-purpose complex also houses a bistro and a 70 bedroom hotel.

The E.ON lounge on level three boasts a 1,000 seater banqueting suite - the largest column free conference and banqueting space in the Midlands.

The Arena was awarded Confex 2006 Venue of the Year Award - in its first year of operation.

To view a groundplan of the Ricoh Arena please click here

For more information on the Sky Blues' new home, please click here

RICOH 'SMOKE FREE' IN 2007/08

In conjunction with the Football League, the Ricoh Arena will be operating a 'smoke free' policy from the beginning of the 2007/08 season.

This new policy anticipates and exceeds expected government legislation in this area. Consequently, smoking will not be permitted throughout stadium confines from July 2007 onwards.

This move follows an initiative taken by Championship clubs, thereafter The League held lengthy consultations with all clubs.

The new policy also takes into account views expressed by more than 43,000 fans in The Football League Supporters' Survey 2006.

The views of supporters nationwide were a key element in the Football League's decision to introduce a 'Smoke Free' policy, which took effect at all League grounds from Sunday, July 1.

Almost 80 per cent of the fans who participated in The Football League Supporters' Survey 2006 advocated the introduction of some form of smoke free policy at matches, with half of all fans wanting an outright ban.

The League's decision has delighted Caroline Flint, the Minister of State for Public Health.

In endorsing the policy the minister said: "It's great to see The Football League taking such a forward looking approach, which goes above and beyond the requirements of the smoke free legislation that is being introduced.

"Second hand smoke kills, so I applaud this move which can only have a positive affect on the health both of staff working at Football League stadiums and of football supporters watching the matches."

The introduction of the new policy followed a unanimous decision by Coca-Cola Championship clubs to move to a smoke free match-day environment. The League then held lengthy consultations with all clubs before finalising the detail of the policy.

Tim Davies explains: "When the working party was set up a couple of years ago we met several times to discuss the logistics of such a move and to look at best practice in football and other areas where a smoke free environment had been implemented.

"Smoking had become a real issue at Championship meetings and, as a major sport, we obviously wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle. So we decided to take an advance stance on the issue, and I'm pleased the policy will now cover the entire Football League."

The League's Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, adds: "In re-branding The Football League we made a serious, long-term commitment to encouraging a new generation of supporters to our matches. This is the latest stage in that process.

"We aim to get more families and more young fans going along to watch their local Football League club, and this new policy will ensure that doing so does not have a negative affect on their health.