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Post by Gasshole on Oct 31, 2023 6:17:30 GMT
One of the problems we will have with the East stand is there are no internal stair ways.
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Post by Kipper on Oct 31, 2023 7:03:47 GMT
The Mem will never be an adequate stadium for Rovers if the club were to be successful in the Championship. Tickets will become very restricted for a measly 18 thousand capacity stadium. Too much housing and opposition for a further increase in capacity,
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Post by Gashead73 on Oct 31, 2023 7:45:26 GMT
We played in Division 1 (Championship) at a dive called Twerton, I see your point but I personally don't see a major problem at a modernised Mem.......as long as its done right and 18'000 is the lowest capacity we hold. 21'000 would be slightly better but 18'000 is nearly double our capacity as it stands once the South Stand is completed.
I see this as a pint half ful and not half empty
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Post by blueridge on Oct 31, 2023 7:59:55 GMT
There’d be no point doing something like that. How would it bring in more money for the club? Yeah there’s 3/4 games a season where we might need the extra capacity. In that case spend the money on an actually nice North stand with bigger bars, restaurants and a larger capacity so you’ve got a 13 or 14k capacity. It’s so important we get the North and East stands right, I’d rather we waited longer, saved up transfer fees, grants and even fundraiser among fans if we ended up with a couple of stands to be proud of. I will join local residents and vote against any proposal to add north/south ‘add ons’ to the existing east stand Chernobyl structure - hopefully BCC will throw it out if plans are submitted based on this. A total ‘bodge up’ if this is the proposed way forward if as seems likely, the Memorial Stadium is to be our permanent home for generations to come. As you say this needs to be right - imo the east stand needs to be totally demolished - and I’m a current user. |
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Post by gashead79 on Oct 31, 2023 8:02:27 GMT
We played in Division 1 (Championship) at a dive called Twerton, I see your point but I personally don't see a major problem at a modernised Mem.......as long as its done right and 18'000 is the lowest capacity we hold. 21'000 would be slightly better but 18'000 is nearly double our capacity as it stands once the South Stand is completed. I see this as a pint half ful and not half empty Since those days in that temporary(10 year) solution. Are there any other clubs who have literally gone backwards(relative terms) in terms of infrastructure? We've been housing people under tents for years, fans get soaked if it rains. Anything would be better than what we've got but let's be honest. It's Dam tinpot innit! |
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Post by stuart1974 on Oct 31, 2023 8:24:18 GMT
There’d be no point doing something like that. How would it bring in more money for the club? Yeah there’s 3/4 games a season where we might need the extra capacity. In that case spend the money on an actually nice North stand with bigger bars, restaurants and a larger capacity so you’ve got a 13 or 14k capacity. It’s so important we get the North and East stands right, I’d rather we waited longer, saved up transfer fees, grants and even fundraiser among fans if we ended up with a couple of stands to be proud of. I will join local residents and vote against any proposal to add north/south ‘add ons’ to the existing east stand Chernobyl structure - hopefully BCC will throw it out if plans are submitted based on this. A total ‘bodge up’ if this is the proposed way forward if as seems likely, the Memorial Stadium is to be our permanent home for generations to come. As you say this needs to be right - imo the east stand needs to be totally demolished - and I’m a current user. What is the internal structure like? I'm wondering if the main building itself can be retained and incorporated whilst removing the seats to blend in better, or are the seats integral to the whole stand? |
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Post by eric on Oct 31, 2023 8:51:30 GMT
Why not just wait until we see some architect drawings before writing the development off - god some people love to join a pile on and give the club a kicking. You never know it may look a lot better than everyone thinks and after 10 years at an awful non league ground followed by over 20 years in a crumbling rugby stadium an 18,000 Mem would be more than I dreamed of as a kid.
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Post by Jomo on Oct 31, 2023 9:12:27 GMT
Why not just wait until we see some architect drawings before writing the development off - god some people love to join a pile on and give the club a kicking. You never know it may look a lot better than everyone thinks and after 10 years at an awful non league ground followed by over 20 years in a crumbling rugby stadium an 18,000 Mem would be more than I dreamed of as a kid. It's not "giving the club a kicking" it's expressing concern that based on the very words uttered on Saturday, the redevelopment (welcome as it is for a stop gap) sounds and already looks from the South Stand, pillars and all, to be a far cry from the modern purpose-built stadium we were all hoping for. Nonetheless, I agree let's wait and see what the remaining plans look like. |
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Post by blueridge on Oct 31, 2023 9:15:39 GMT
I will join local residents and vote against any proposal to add north/south ‘add ons’ to the existing east stand Chernobyl structure - hopefully BCC will throw it out if plans are submitted based on this. A total ‘bodge up’ if this is the proposed way forward if as seems likely, the Memorial Stadium is to be our permanent home for generations to come. As you say this needs to be right - imo the east stand needs to be totally demolished - and I’m a current user. What is the internal structure like? I'm wondering if the main building itself can be retained and incorporated whilst removing the seats to blend in better, or are the seats integral to the whole stand? A concrete monolith with low ceilings and a small bar at one end - limited overpriced hospitality in a low ceiling narrow room - no real access for disabled people - no internal stairwells - all external - need to walk up steps and then down steps to get to the other side depending on where you’re seated - the seats are integral to the current structure - no concourse cannot walk underneath - it really is a shambolic structure - as is the West Stand btw. |
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Post by gashead1981 on Oct 31, 2023 9:29:01 GMT
As I said on another post, the East was built as a bit of a favour/thank you to the Rugby club for selling the land on which Trubshaw Close is built very cheaply. So its hardly surprising that the thing is unfit for purpose and it was probably unfit for purpose back in 1987. To be fair, Tom has remodelled it and made best use of it. But now it needs bulldozering to the ground.
I would have thought doing the North Stand would be the best thing to do first, because if you are going to put some sort of conference style rooms in there that can be used then you could put a temporary match day hospitality suite in them to at least offer something. If you bulldozer the East next, you lose all of that revenue whilst its being rebuilt.
IIRC, the plans for the North stand previously included that. It was a cantelever build, so it had a concourse underneath which could also run a vehicle through it, like emergency services etc. It would have been quite an impressive stand so perhaps something like that could be considered again.
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Post by gasandelectricity on Oct 31, 2023 9:32:22 GMT
Build an extension at the back of the east stand, ready for lifts, improved access to the stands, and any other new facilities required.
Remove the roof in the off season, put a new roof over the existing structure that can be joined onto with additional flanks to the structure.
At the same time gut the bars and club shop and rebuild including the space from the new structure. Incorporate food and merchandise concessions in the concourse extension.
Build new structures to the north and the south in a similar enough style to blend in.
Replace the terracing with new seating.
Then you have a fantastic stand with many of the problems stated resolved.
Might not be cheap but means you don’t have to lose much capacity in season or start from scratch.
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Post by Colyton Gas on Oct 31, 2023 9:49:32 GMT
After over 50 years of 'You have to be patient' wonderful that we are discussing improving our ground openly now however modest any improvements might be.
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Marshy
Proper Gas
Posts: 14,372 
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Post by Marshy on Oct 31, 2023 9:52:34 GMT
After over 50 years of 'You have to be patient' wonderful that we are discussing improving our ground openly now however modest any improvements might be. After over 50 years we have finally decided to polish the turd 😂 |
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yattongas
Forum Legend
Posts: 15,406
Member is Online
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Post by yattongas on Oct 31, 2023 10:24:03 GMT
Why not just wait until we see some architect drawings before writing the development off - god some people love to join a pile on and give the club a kicking. You never know it may look a lot better than everyone thinks and after 10 years at an awful non league ground followed by over 20 years in a crumbling rugby stadium an 18,000 Mem would be more than I dreamed of as a kid. Happy to wait and looking forward to being surprised…… just don’t think I will be on that stand 😃👍 |
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Post by rovers5charlton5 on Oct 31, 2023 11:11:46 GMT
The most pointless poll ever. But aren't all the posts on this forum pointless? Does it matter who we think the next manager should be? Does it matter whether we develop the Mem? Does it matter who is available in the next transfer market? No. Because we have no say in it with the people who make the decisions. However, it is good to voice our opinions and hope that maybe some of them become a reality. Pointless because they've already told us what they plan to do. It would be like having a poll on the next manager after they've made an appointment, or score prediction the Monday after the game. |
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Post by ricardo on Oct 31, 2023 12:06:33 GMT
As I said on another post, the East was built as a bit of a favour/thank you to the Rugby club for selling the land on which Trubshaw Close is built very cheaply. So it’s hardly surprising that the thing is unfit for purpose and it was probably unfit for purpose back in 1987. Pretty sure trubshaw close was built around 20 years after the east stand was built? |
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Post by chewbacca on Oct 31, 2023 12:48:29 GMT
As I said on another post, the East was built as a bit of a favour/thank you to the Rugby club for selling the land on which Trubshaw Close is built very cheaply. So it’s hardly surprising that the thing is unfit for purpose and it was probably unfit for purpose back in 1987. Pretty sure trubshaw close was built around 20 years after the east stand was built? The East Stand was built in 1988, Trubshaw Close in 2007. Get your facts straight! |
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Post by warehamgas on Oct 31, 2023 12:49:04 GMT
Whatever decision was made over the ground, redeveloped Mem, new build somewhere else, FM etc there would be people who liked it and those who didn’t for whatever reason. I’ve no idea if I’m being hoodwinked or not by the new owners but listening to them talk about the ground was the most realistic I’ve heard owners talk about a new ground. They are working to a plan it appears with a realism to make it happen. I liked Wael and what he did but his approach to a new ground at the start in ‘16 when he said money would not be a problem was so way off being the reality, though it made the fans believe something would happen. It didn’t and when plan A didn’t work over the UWE (August 17) we had talk but nothing else. Wael panicked into a reveal about the FM in August 20 before the Blackpool match that it could be within two years or something like that but then absolute silence for the next two years or more. Did anyone really believe it was anything other than dreams and a few scrollings on a fag packet?
It’s a real shame in a way that we won’t be getting a new, shiny ground similar to the videos and artists impressions we saw up to the UWE (nothing tangible since) but his plan to develop the Mem side by side is realistic and one they are now going for. Well done them for actually making a plan. The detail about what each stand will look like will I presume evolve as the plans move on,stand by stand.
And of course ‘I’ll believe it when I’m sitting in it’ but at this point in time it sounds the best we can achieve. Fingers crossed.🤞🏽
UTG!
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Post by warehamgas on Oct 31, 2023 12:54:33 GMT
After over 50 years of 'You have to be patient' wonderful that we are discussing improving our ground openly now however modest any improvements might be. After over 50 years we have finally decided to polish the turd 😂 Come on Marshy! When you remove the turd from the grass it changes into a clean piece of grass again, after some rain. Let’s hope the plans include removing the crap and building something decent. And anyway it may be a turd, but it’s our turd. 👍😉 UTG! |
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Post by gashead1981 on Oct 31, 2023 12:57:28 GMT
As I said on another post, the East was built as a bit of a favour/thank you to the Rugby club for selling the land on which Trubshaw Close is built very cheaply. So it’s hardly surprising that the thing is unfit for purpose and it was probably unfit for purpose back in 1987. Pretty sure trubshaw close was built around 20 years after the east stand was built? It was, but the option on the land was sold in 1987 for a sum of money plus they had to build the east stand. The stand was built and the option for purchase was completed just prior to our tenancy. |
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