Fruit Market OFF - Club redeveloping Mem instead.

We keep changing our minds and lack of cash so reliant on third parties. First it was one new North stand, then a whole revamp with Opel student lets before UWE which dragged on for years and now the Fruit Market (add in the pandemic which caused additional delays).

Fit and well thanks jules.
Not been posting a lot lately, but having a little chuckle about the Wrexham ground works. I was talking out my ass according to some when I said about their development plans and Lo and behold a couple of months on and they’re well underway. That new stand is going to be something else with hospitality and community facilities to bring in income seven days a week. Puts us to shame I’m sorry to say.

But we are in no different position than any other club wanting to develop their ground. How do they do it? Twenty years ago Brighton were playing at a rented athletics track FFS.

Surely we can get a loan to build it. If only our owner knew someone in the banking sector 🤣

We are losing £3m a year so we need revenue to cover that, then we need further revenue to progress the club and finally revenue to both service the loan and eventually repay it.

Without a good business case, we'd struggle to get commercial banking loans and therefore reliant on owners.

To afford that would mean we have to expand with sufficient room to generate that income. It's definitely doable but not that easy. Besides, what is the point spending a lot of vital cash on the Mem if the plan is a new build in 3-5 years?

I would have settled on a new stand many years ago (say, £5m for 5,000 seats which would have been achievable imho) but the decision was to move so nothing got done and we've been in limbo for the past 10-12 years. Each time we don't move and change our minds, the clock gets reset.

But we're not in any different position than most other clubs in loosing money.

I was also referring to both a new stand or a new stadium.

As for the new stand I would say you could fit a 9k stand on the east side.

As for the stadium being 3 to 5 years away. That is a rolling basis. I doubt we'll see anything within 10 years at least.

My frustration is we're no different to any other club. How can we not finance and build something. Without spending on the infrastructure the club will slowly die. We can't afford not to build something.

I'm not sure Finance is the problem.

I can't even remember the last time Wael said anything in a statement let lone a about progress on a new stadium.

Many years ago when one of our failed new stadium projects was in full flow,probably UWE,we were asked to contact THE RT HON Eric Pickles to urge him to give the green light to the planning permission.Then a few of us paraded outside the Council at the bottom of Park Street to urge the Council to rubber stamp it.A very fit lady MP complete with a Rovers Shirt were there in support and it was duly a triumphant outcome.Then the 'Watertight plan fell through only for the new chairman Steve Hamer to say when questioned ,'Finance is not an issue'.

As I was able to persuade numerous people to write,email etc to Mr Pickles,it was typical Rovers nothing ever happened.When Mr Wael was asked about the new stadium he'd promised he spoke of how he'd paid for new hand driers in the Gents and later that he couldn't let us know what was happening due to a 'Confidentiality' issue.Not heard anything official since but currently back in Staffs for two days and going to Vale this evening where their planned ground improvements are on display for all to see.
P.S.How can tiny Morecambe afford such an impressive main stand on their miniscule crowds?

Good to hear from to Dave, i was getting a bit worried as i had not seen any posts from you so thanks. I agree, we are just treading water and a statement of intent, at the very least, would be very welcome