Coronavirus: Roman Abramovich to pay for NHS staff to sleep in Chelsea hotel to aid outbreak

Chelsea owner will pay for NHS staff to stay at the Stamford Bridge hotel for at least the next two months after an offer to accommodate doctors and nurses was accepted

Roman Abramovich will pay for NHS staff to stay at Chelsea’s Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge for at least the next two months after personally taking the decision to help aid the coronavirus crisis.

With doctors and nurses facing an unprecedented workload over the coming months due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the London-based Premier League club have moved to try and do what they can to help the situation.

An idea first raised by Abramovich himself led to the club proposing an idea to the National Health Service to offer their staff free accommodation, which has been accepted. As a result, those working at NHS facilities in the north-west London area will be able to stay at the hotel free of charge to avoid long and disrupted commutes home, with a provision to extend both the catchment area and the length of stay depending on how the crisis develops.

A Chelsea statement read: “Chelsea Football Club is joining the medical response to the coronavirus outbreak in London with the news the National Health Service (NHS) has accepted the Club’s offer to make the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge available for NHS staff.

“The initiative came from club owner Roman Abramovich and, after contact with the NHS was made by Chairman Bruce Buck, it was decided the best way Chelsea can assist the NHS is to provide accommodation for NHS staff. Mr Abramovich will be covering the costs of providing the accommodation.”

Russian billionaire Abramovich, who bought Chelsea in 2003, is currently unable to enter the United Kingdom due to visa issues, but he has moved to help the crisis that is currently devastating Britain and, in particular, the capital city where there has been a surge in cases and deaths.

“Many of the medical staff will be working long shifts and may not be able to travel home or would otherwise have to make long commutes. Local accommodation helps maintain the health and well-being of these crucial personnel at this critical time,” the statement added.

“This will be for a two-month period, and then reconsidered in light of circumstances at the time. NHS staff will be those working in hospitals in the north-west London region, but that may extend to hospitals in other districts.”

With Premier League football suspended until 4 April at the very least, clubs are looking at how they can support their own playing and staff members over what are set to be financially-chaotic months. But Chelsea are not the first Premier League club to look to help others, with Aston Villa last week donating all of their matchday food that had been prepared for the subsequently postponed game with Chelsea to homeless shelters.

Chelsea also confirmed that there is the availability of all rooms inside the hotel if required, and that measures will be taken to prevent anyone with symptoms of coronavirus coming into contact with NHS staff given the serious repercussions that could follow.

“The number of rooms utilised will depend on demand but potentially all the rooms in the Millennium Hotel could be given over for this purpose. No staff showing symptoms will use the hotel.

“Millennium Hotels and Resorts, who manage the hotel, are supportive and assisting the club in providing this service to the NHS.”