New Stadium or Redevelopment ?

[russell_anderson]

Can somebody explain to me what 'character' is beyond a stupid buzzword that people use for things that look naff

It's always been a mystery to me as well. The only reason I can see with not building a new ground is I would think the cost would be huge compared to a re-development.

[SlurpyTigga]

Parking? What's up with Cemetery Hill if people need to drive to the ground? Loads of room on both sides of the lower section, especially if people go nose or arse in.

So where do the opposition's coaches park? If we get in the league there's plenty of clubs that will bring 4,5,6,7 coaches, do they park on Cemetery Hill? Do they use Park and Ride? I'm sure the cops will love policing that, or do we use stewards?

[spirit of 1990]

Redevelopment.

As for parking, the side of the ground, streets around the ground (that's what happens at other clubs) around the corner by all the garage dealerships, Soccer bar car park, Cottages car park & one of the biggest two sided parking areas probably in the county - cemetery hill.....how much car parking space are we after???
Just because it's not attached to the ground doesnt stop you walking for five minutes.

[spirit of 1990]

Parking? What's up with Cemetery Hill if people need to drive to the ground? Loads of room on both sides of the lower section, especially if people go nose or arse in.

So where do the opposition's coaches park? If we get in the league there's plenty of clubs that will bring 4,5,6,7 coaches, do they park on Cemetery Hill? Do they use Park and Ride? I'm sure the cops will love policing that, or do we use stewards?

If (if) we ever get to that stage I'm sure it'd be easy enough for away supporters coaches to pull up at the side of the ground to unload.....or the lay by area on HS.....or use our own car park.....or rent some space off the soccer bar on matchdays.....

I've been to plenty of grounds with far, far worse options & they seem to get by.

[Colin Appleton]

The big winner in the ground redevelopment project is the bloke who owns the garage where the Bluebird Club used to be.

I can't see how the Holker Street end can be redeveloped without buying the guy out. I'd love to know how much he is holding out for. Why did we ever sell the club in the first place ?. Money I suppose, you forget how desperate we used to be .

[Cubbins Paratrooper]

Having disgorged their passengers/visiting supporters on arrival at Holker Street, the buses would probably be located to a safe and sensible location, probably away from the ground in an area or areas to be designated and/or negotiated, perhaps with the Council or with a private supplier who has suitable land available and no doubt, the local scuffers.

An example of what happens elsewhere is at Meadow Lane, Notts County FC. There is no room within the stadium grounds for visiting coaches and the operators pay a parking fee to a company nearby that owns and operates from a large tract of gated and fenced land and has available space within.

The club is happy and as far as I am aware, has no obligation or ability to provide major parking facilities, the land owner is happy as it provides additional income and the coach operators are satisfied because their shiny buses are, in the main, safe and secure and the cost of protecting their capital investment from marauding brick-lobbing lads can be passed on to passengers.

A good few years ago, we attended a night match at Anfield, featuring England. A local school used its extensive playground to cram in cars and raise funds, cash only, naturally! Nothing to do with the LFC or the FA though ever so useful, particularly as it was reported that 37 cars parked in the streets around the ground were broken into that night and had satnavs stolen. That said, we did have problems getting out of the school as being more or less first in, we were last out and the snowstorm which erupted around 11.15pm caused all sorts of agro for vehicle owners still stuck in the school playground.

[audigex]

Away coaches is the least of our problems - they drop off at the ground and then go park up somewhere a few minutes away.... weekday evenings and saturday daytime there's plenty of free concrete down on the industrial areas behind the one way for a few buses.

Spectator parking is a little trickier, but we waste some of the space around the ground right now - the car park behind the popular side could hold a lot more cars than it does, just because people park in a big circle, it could probably take another row of cars along most of it.

And as mentioned, why does "parking at the ground" mean it has to be literally attached? There are plenty of places to park within a 5 minute walk, leaving the space next to the ground for those less mobile.

[Wintergreen]

Can somebody explain to me what 'character' is beyond a stupid buzzword that people use for things that look naff

It's always been a mystery to me as well. The only reason I can see with not building a new ground is I would think the cost would be huge compared to a re-development.

The ‘character’ thing seems to have originated from TV shows like Location, Location, Location and usually means olde world Victorian or farmhouse features in a house. Whereas new build stuff as featured in TV shows like Grand Designs demonstrates the modern approach with the emphasis on streamlining, efficiency and functionality.

Its personal taste at the end of the day and Glorious Leader has opted for the retaining ’character’ approach rather than the minimalist new buid. Ultimately, Grand Designs features people living in cavernous art gallery style houses, hopelessly over budget and usually unsuitable for family life – e.g. glass stairs + marble floor + toddlers = hospital.

[barrowfan_chris]

The big winner in the ground redevelopment project is the bloke who owns the garage where the Bluebird Club used to be.

I can't see how the Holker Street end can be redeveloped without buying the guy out. I'd love to know how much he is holding out for. Why did we ever sell the club in the first place ?. Money I suppose, you forget how desperate we used to be .

They can build around him easily the guy will get nothing.

[blue nige]

does the so called car park at the back of the popular side belong to us?.

if it does it needs to be done in a bit more professional way than at present there is no supervision here and when leaving(especially in winter)it is an accident waiting to happen! and if it`s ours we would be liable if anyone is injured,have we done a risk assessment on this "car park"?

[K_BFC]

Away coaches is the least of our problems - they drop off at the ground and then go park up somewhere a few minutes away

Exactly, they even do that now. When we've had large numbers visiting supporters in the conference national you would often see supporters coaches beginning to pull up on Wilkie road just before the final whistle. Ready to pick up supporters and leave quickly.

As regards Cemetery Hill, I turned up late when we had 1700+ against Worcester and there was very little parking space left in the marked parking areas up to the cemetery gates. If gates do continue to rise, then impact on neighbouring estates might cause ill feeling among residents if they are prevented from parking near there own homes. The councils answer to these kind of on going complaints is almost always parking permits! That will just spread the problem, much like town centre workers parking in large numbers in residential streets when they introduced parking permits for the town centre. But I don't think it will be a problem for a long while yet, if ever. In the mean time it is up to the fans to park responsibly or it will come back on the club eventually. It will also stop the constant in game announcements asking for some car blocking an entrance to be moved.

If Mr Cassons goal is to have the facilities used 7 days a week I don't think a new ground further out of town would be worth it. As for the parking problem, there are solutions and it's not like we'll be playing Championship football in 5 years pulling in 10,000+.

[SlurpyTigga]

So where do the opposition's coaches park? If we get in the league there's plenty of clubs that will bring 4,5,6,7 coaches, do they park on Cemetery Hill? Do they use Park and Ride? I'm sure the cops will love policing that, or do we use stewards?

If (if) we ever get to that stage I'm sure it'd be easy enough for away supporters coaches to pull up at the side of the ground to unload.....or the lay by area on HS.....or use our own car park.....or rent some space off the soccer bar on matchdays.....

I've been to plenty of grounds with far, far worse options & they seem to get by.

What about when the double yellow lines go down on Cemetery Hill, like the council have proposed?

[spirit of 1990]

If (if) we ever get to that stage I'm sure it'd be easy enough for away supporters coaches to pull up at the side of the ground to unload.....or the lay by area on HS.....or use our own car park.....or rent some space off the soccer bar on matchdays.....

I've been to plenty of grounds with far, far worse options & they seem to get by.

What about when the double yellow lines go down on Cemetery Hill, like the council have proposed?

Didn't know they had, where did that come from & why would they put double yellow lines down there? it's not like it's some quiet side street being blocked to housholders is it?

I think this whole parking obsession is getting a bit daft, there's shed loads of places within a five - ten minute radius but people seem to want to step out of a car door & fall through a turnstile. Like I said earlier, there are dozens upon dozens of grounds that I've been to with far worse parking options.

[K_BFC]

What about when the double yellow lines go down on Cemetery Hill, like the council have proposed?

Is that Cemetery Hill, Dalton or Devonshire Road (known as Cemetery Hill), Barrow? Which part is it as there are no double yellows? On the hill at all but near the top there is a school and a sweeping bend on which parked cars would could be problem, or is it renewal of the lines before the round about going down toward Wilke road?

[K_BFC]

I think this whole parking obsession is getting a bit daft, there's shed loads of places within a five - ten minute radius but people seem to want to step out of a car door & fall through a turnstile.

Agree. If it gets bad I'll see about getting out of work a bit quicker and go park at my parents, one less car. About a 20mins walk away, always used to walk up and appreciated it more in the colder months as the exercise helped keep me warm through the game.