Photos of ground developments

[spirit of 1990]

Looks great!!

What's the kink in the wall for btw?

I think that just followed the footprint of the original wall. Nothing was ever done in straight lines at HS.

[GTBLUE]

That must be a first Ian. A photo of an empty wheelbarrow

[spirit of 1990]

That must be a first Ian. A photo of an empty wheelbarrow

The brickie was quick Graham, it was full of bricks 30 seconds before....mind you, I’ve seen more than a couple of the lads on Sunday mornings pushing empty barrows around.

[Alley_Cat]

That must be a first Ian. A photo of an empty wheelbarrow

The brickie was quick Graham, it was full of bricks 30 seconds before....mind you, I’ve seen more than a couple of the lads on Sunday mornings pushing empty barrows around.

hmmmm free bacon roll for pushing an empty wheelbarrow around

[Steelworks End]

Perhaps the wheelbarrow arrived full of bacon butties?

[Hadrian]

Good to be in Barrow yesterday (and for the weather defying the forecast!) and have the chance to look in the ground at some of the developments; thanks to spirit of 1990 for his time to let us see these. As we know from this thread, lots of work has been going on and there are impressive changes. The bar area is looking very smart with its new furniture, flooring and redecoration. The hospitality/training/meeting rooms are undergoing substantial modifications and the addition of natural light to two of them through a pair of very smart windows in each transforms those, in particular. The physio room is looking first rate and the home changing rooms have been smartened up further. Even the referees' room and away changing rooms have had improvements made (not too many in the case of the latter, of course ). Better lighting has improved a number of areas and the corridors and stairways are also being smartened up, including new signage.

There's a good stock of replica strips in the shop and the new home shirt is growing on me - looks better for real than on the photos, too. The 'mint' away shirt is as distinctive as last year's gold strip and will likely be as popular. More merchandise to follow for the start of pre-season, apparently. Good effort all round.

Outside, the area adjacent to the tunnel is looking much tidier in advance of the retractable screen being installed, while if you want an extension built, contact the people building the wall where the West Terrace used to be - great workers! Turn your back for a moment and another course of blocks has been added when you turn back! The area looks much larger than you will have remembered it and should become an asset rather than a forgotten corner. It will be interesting to see how it develops over the coming months. It has clearly been a major spend by our owners - the volume of materials that have had to be removed must have cost a fortune to demolish and then dispose of and there's still a very expensive concreting job to be done once the wall has been completed. They have also spent a substantial sum inside on the bar area, building alterations and new flooring.

Lots of the improvements have been helped with support of various kinds from individuals and local businesses and they deserve our thanks. Meanwhile a lot of jobs simply wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous work of the volunteers who have put in many, many person-hours over the summer to make a huge difference to what is being achieved. If you have thought about joining them (jobs available in many areas - and not just in building-related tasks) I would encourage you to give it a try as we know from our own experience that it can be fun. Even on a match day there are always tasks to be found for pairs of willing hands. Similarly, if you can spare anything to add to the GMV kitty then I am sure that would be greatly appreciated, too.

I would thank Paul Casson for all he did for BAFC. He spent a huge chunk of money during his tenure and he must be disappointed for it all to have ended the way it did. Great credit now, however, to the new owners for stepping up to the task, taking on the club and their determination to support the playing side while also spending substantial amounts of money to move forward the facilities. They have rightly started with those areas that will help with non-match day income to begin to help the club to develop sustainability. It was good to meet one of them yesterday (fresh from wheelbarrow duties!) and to be able to thank him for what they have done and are doing. Again, there might be people who think that they might have got involved at that level at one time but didn't; perhaps they should contact the board to see if they can give support in some way going forward?

The visit has added further to my positivity about what has been going on at Holker Street over the last eight months. Let's hope the pre-season is successful and that we begin well in the National League to build that positivity not just amongst the core support but in the wider community in Barrow, Furness and the South Lakes. That will be instrumental in moving Barrow Soccer forward as well as boosting pride in the community.

[blumooncrab]

Hadrian, great post !

[Holkerbird]

Looks great!!

What's the kink in the wall for btw?

I think that just followed the footprint of the original wall. Nothing was ever done in straight lines at HS.

I was told there is some sort of a meter there---a water meter maybe.

[Big E]

Good to be in Barrow yesterday (and for the weather defying the forecast!) and have the chance to look in the ground at some of the developments; thanks to spirit of 1990 for his time to let us see these. As we know from this thread, lots of work has been going on and there are impressive changes. The bar area is looking very smart with its new furniture, flooring and redecoration. The hospitality/training/meeting rooms are undergoing substantial modifications and the addition of natural light to two of them through a pair of very smart windows in each transforms those, in particular. The physio room is looking first rate and the home changing rooms have been smartened up further. Even the referees' room and away changing rooms have had improvements made (not too many in the case of the latter, of course ). Better lighting has improved a number of areas and the corridors and stairways are also being smartened up, including new signage.

There's a good stock of replica strips in the shop and the new home shirt is growing on me - looks better for real than on the photos, too. The 'mint' away shirt is as distinctive as last year's gold strip and will likely be as popular. More merchandise to follow for the start of pre-season, apparently. Good effort all round.

Outside, the area adjacent to the tunnel is looking much tidier in advance of the retractable screen being installed, while if you want an extension built, contact the people building the wall where the West Terrace used to be - great workers! Turn your back for a moment and another course of blocks has been added when you turn back! The area looks much larger than you will have remembered it and should become an asset rather than a forgotten corner. It will be interesting to see how it develops over the coming months. It has clearly been a major spend by our owners - the volume of materials that have had to be removed must have cost a fortune to demolish and then dispose of and there's still a very expensive concreting job to be done once the wall has been completed. They have also spent a substantial sum inside on the bar area, building alterations and new flooring.

Lots of the improvements have been helped with support of various kinds from individuals and local businesses and they deserve our thanks. Meanwhile a lot of jobs simply wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous work of the volunteers who have put in many, many person-hours over the summer to make a huge difference to what is being achieved. If you have thought about joining them (jobs available in many areas - and not just in building-related tasks) I would encourage you to give it a try as we know from our own experience that it can be fun. Even on a match day there are always tasks to be found for pairs of willing hands. Similarly, if you can spare anything to add to the GMV kitty then I am sure that would be greatly appreciated, too.

I would thank Paul Casson for all he did for BAFC. He spent a huge chunk of money during his tenure and he must be disappointed for it all to have ended the way it did. Great credit now, however, to the new owners for stepping up to the task, taking on the club and their determination to support the playing side while also spending substantial amounts of money to move forward the facilities. They have rightly started with those areas that will help with non-match day income to begin to help the club to develop sustainability. It was good to meet one of them yesterday (fresh from wheelbarrow duties!) and to be able to thank him for what they have done and are doing. Again, there might be people who think that they might have got involved at that level at one time but didn't; perhaps they should contact the board to see if they can give support in some way going forward?

The visit has added further to my positivity about what has been going on at Holker Street over the last eight months. Let's hope the pre-season is successful and that we begin well in the National League to build that positivity not just amongst the core support but in the wider community in Barrow, Furness and the South Lakes. That will be instrumental in moving Barrow Soccer forward as well as boosting pride in the community.

Super post.. should be shared on fb as well as a copy the the mail.

[GTBLUE]

That must be a first Ian. A photo of an empty wheelbarrow

The brickie was quick Graham, it was full of bricks 30 seconds before....mind you, I’ve seen more than a couple of the lads on Sunday mornings pushing empty barrows around.

I saw the gloves on the ground and thought the user had been vapourised

[spirit of 1990]

Concrete going into the new west terrace wall this morning.

[whitty1969]

2 more pics

[spirit of 1990]

Stewards cabin going in earlier and the new Trust shop in the area once occupied by the pop side burger van.

[boyliegladbach]

Needs painting blue that

[barrowaberdeen]

Needs painting blue that

Lots to be done to that Al, rest assured.