Fans and businesses "want to keep Gloucester’s Rugby World Cup Fan Zone open for longer after it was revealed the area will close after the group stages of the tournament," according to CITIZEN NEWS. Work "is under way to transform Orchard Square in Gloucester Docks into a fan zone for the thousands of fans without tickets to watch the action on a big screen." But the fan zone "is only planned to be open" until Oct. 11, when the last game at Kingsholm will be played. Fans "will not be able to enjoy the area" when the Rugby World Cup’s quarterfinals, semifinals and final are being played, even if England is still in contention. Gloucester City Council, which is managing the fan zone, said that "it made the decision to close the area before the tournament’s end due to considerations for police and businesses in the area." But fans and businesses in Gloucester "have called for the fan zone to remain open for the whole tournament for visitors to enjoy." Gloucester City Council "plans to recreate a stadium with the fan zone, with a green pitch, stadium seating, rugby posts, food stalls and a bar" (CITIZEN NEWS, 8/5).
