Albion want to ramp things up a level up the Amex.

And perhaps the only disappointment about their £40 million plans revealed today is it can’t all come a bit sooner.

The new sports bar and fan zone, known as The Terrace, opens this spring.

With room for 1,000 inside and about 2,000 outside, the hope is it will be a magnet for fans on matchdays.

But also that it can be a much-used venue on a regular basis away from games.

In particular, Albion hope it attracts punters wanting to follow the club’s televised away games or other major football and sporting events.

They have identified the lack of a major sports bar in Brighton and believe they will fill that gap.

A new, informal, hospitality area in the North Stand is also being introduced - in response to fans' feedback.

The 1901 Pub, from the 2026-27 season, will also see an extra balcony of seats added above the existing North Stand (see below).

(Image: BHAFC) Safe standing comes to the North Stand next season.

The museum shifts to a prime location in the city, giving the club more presence in central Brighton.

And the club superstore is being doubled in size to meet increasing demand.

There is also a general ‘Albionisation’ of the stadium to make it more blue and white than grey.

That process is already very much in evidence and will be ongoing.

Capacity will rise to 32,500 (anything considerably more than this is not seen as feasible).

But it is the moving of away fans and addition of a second, vibrant home end which will most change the face of the matches at the Amex.

For various practical reasons, this cannot happen until 2027.

There are structural changes needed both in the stand and away from the pitch to turn the South West corner into a properly segregated area for visiting fans.

There are also existing contracts in place.

But the wait gives supporters time to get their heads around the change and plan to relocate within their stadium if they want, or need, to.

Albion point out housing away fans in a corner section is in line with what happens throughout the Prem and that facilities and sightlines will still be excellent.

It will still be a long way from the (Way Out) West Stand at Withdean or the corner section under the floodlight at the Goldstone.

But it is expected that putting 3,000 away fans in the South West corner will make them less prominent and also attract some of the noisier home followers to the area near them, behind the south goal.

And Albion will happily encourage that, within reason of course.

They might recall scenes towards the end of the Championship days, when small away followings allowed them to put their own fans behind that goal.

They were there, for example, when Solly March fired them into the Premier League.

But that does not happen in the Prem (other than with Burnley) and input from players was partly behind the change.

There is nowhere else in the top-flight where the away teams get an end and Albion believe they are giving up a competitive advantage, be it real or perceived.

The hope, therefore, is that away fans will be less prominent and the new home end will be a hotbed of vocal, partisan support.

Atmosphere is a word often mentioned when talking about the Amex – and often in a negative way.

This move is one the club feel can have the right effect.

Albion make it clear they will always be keen to welcome the away team but without giving away what they do not receive on their own travels.

(Image: BHAFC) The club shop (pictured above) is an obvious sign of increased interest in the club.

Russ Wood, Albion’s head of commercial, said: “We are at capacity for large portions of pre-match and post-match.

“That means fans can’t get in the shop so the plan is to double the footprint, develop all the back-of-house areas.

“We can have more fans in the shop and have more products.”

In the meantime, a temporary shop will open in Bennett’s Field.

But it is The Terrace which will be the next major addition and Wood believes it will be a hit.

He said: “It is going to be a phenomenal venue.

(Image: BHAFC) “We think it will be the best of its kind in the city and we think fans will want to arrive earlier, want to stay later, generate the atmosphere.”

Apart from, of course, it is not really in the city.

So would fans be willing to head out to Falmer to watch televised sport when they have so many choices of entertainment venues in Brighton?

Wood said: “It will be a challenge, yes. People have got to make a conscious decision.

“But there are also thousands of students living there.

“There are people driving past.

“We are nine minutes on the train from Brighton and then it’s right there.

“So we are confident they will want to come.”