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Post by albaron on Sept 28, 2024 9:46:07 GMT
I'm not sure we will ever see these new plans and the stadium developed. The longer it goes on I am less sure it will ever happen. I can see Wael moving away to a club nearer London and the Kuwaiti's selling up. Hope I'm wrong but the longer it goes on etc etc.
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Post by Dirt Dogg on Sept 28, 2024 9:51:42 GMT
I'm not sure we will ever see these new plans and the stadium developed. The longer it goes on I am less sure it will ever happen. I can see Wael moving away to a club nearer London and the Kuwaiti's selling up. Hope I'm wrong but the longer it goes on etc etc. Bit of a wild prediction! |
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Post by ifollowgas on Sept 28, 2024 11:12:45 GMT
Paying only a peppercorn rent for the 100 year lease and not having to purchase land from UWE would have saved a huge outlay so seems only fair UWE wanted a percentage of non matchday income. Planning permission was given. If the land is still available then perhaps it's worth reopening talks? Apart from free prime greenfield land, car park (essential for those of us older folk and for potential new fans who don't live near Horfield) and token rent, the freeholder usually pays the bulk of the running and maintenance costs of the site and possibly the stadium too if it is considered a UWE facility, so that would be another significant cost saving for the club. It is naïve to expect the UWE or anyone to provide free land for the club's owners to build a stadium, hotel or whatever they want, have control of all the events and keep all the income. The Al Qadis are bankers, they and their legal team would have known all of this before they bought the club. We were told they had the funds, I imagine Higgs & Co understood that they had the funds and intended to complete the UWE project. The signs are that the family got cold feet and changed their mind. We the fans were let down once again. And there were more (Fruit Market) let downs to come. |
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Post by justin blue on Sept 28, 2024 11:53:29 GMT
Dodged a bullet there I think. No chance to build anything other than the stadium - in fact we wouldn't even have owned the land the stadium would have been on. Everything outside would have been controlled and potentially monetised by someone else. Was it a good idea at the time? Potentially. Is it the right choice now? No. Let's not forget even after the Sainsburys decision (and the takeover) the new owners put a new plan to build the stadium there to UWE and UWE missed the deadline to reply. Chances are the new plan was sensible and fair for the club but took control away from UWE... The UWE stadium and adjacent car park with planning permission granted on a 100 year (probably extendable) lease with active collaboration of the forward-thinking UWE and South Gloucestershire Council was the best and probably last chance BRFC had to become a Championship standard football club with strong community links, a modern functional home to be proud of for this and future generations of Rovers fans. It's amazing that the Al Qadi family - who clearly ditched the project because they didn't want to invest the capital cost of the build in view of being able to recoup their cash in a future sale - convinced many supporters that the project 'wasn't right for the club' when clearly it was (Higgs & Co and the Dunfords thought so), but just not right for them. I think that is the conundrum. To attract major investment the club needs to be investable and until somebody makes this club investable then nobody will invest. |
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Post by gasify on Sept 28, 2024 12:07:44 GMT
I'm not sure we will ever see these new plans and the stadium developed. The longer it goes on I am less sure it will ever happen. I can see Wael moving away to a club nearer London and the Kuwaiti's selling up. Hope I'm wrong but the longer it goes on etc etc. The impression that I got from the first fans forum was that the Kuwaiti's did want to sell up. Not immediately though. This 3 to 5 year plan to get us to the Championship, get the Quarters to a level 2 or 1 academy and increase the stadium capacity would add real value to the club and they would be able to receive a very good financial return on that hard work. |
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Post by gasify on Sept 28, 2024 12:11:23 GMT
Paying only a peppercorn rent for the 100 year lease and not having to purchase land from UWE would have saved a huge outlay so seems only fair UWE wanted a percentage of non matchday income. Planning permission was given. If the land is still available then perhaps it's worth reopening talks? Apart from free prime greenfield land, car park (essential for those of us older folk and for potential new fans who don't live near Horfield) and token rent, the freeholder usually pays the bulk of the running and maintenance costs of the site and possibly the stadium too if it is considered a UWE facility, so that would be another significant cost saving for the club. It is naïve to expect the UWE or anyone to provide free land for the club's owners to build a stadium, hotel or whatever they want, have control of all the events and keep all the income. The Al Qadis are bankers, they and their legal team would have known all of this before they bought the club. We were told they had the funds, I imagine Higgs & Co understood that they had the funds and intended to complete the UWE project. The signs are that the family got cold feet and changed their mind. We the fans were let down once again. And there were more (Fruit Market) let downs to come. I'm not sure where you are getting your info but I'm not sure that is correct. If you have a rental agreement, you would probably also have monthly/quarterly service charge. You would expect to be recharged your share of those shared costs. You would also probably be on a full repair lease, so any repairs to the ground would have been paid by the club too. |
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Post by ifollowgas on Sept 28, 2024 13:20:13 GMT
Apart from free prime greenfield land, car park (essential for those of us older folk and for potential new fans who don't live near Horfield) and token rent, the freeholder usually pays the bulk of the running and maintenance costs of the site and possibly the stadium too if it is considered a UWE facility, so that would be another significant cost saving for the club. It is naïve to expect the UWE or anyone to provide free land for the club's owners to build a stadium, hotel or whatever they want, have control of all the events and keep all the income. The Al Qadis are bankers, they and their legal team would have known all of this before they bought the club. We were told they had the funds, I imagine Higgs & Co understood that they had the funds and intended to complete the UWE project. The signs are that the family got cold feet and changed their mind. We the fans were let down once again. And there were more (Fruit Market) let downs to come. I'm not sure where you are getting your info but I'm not sure that is correct. If you have a rental agreement, you would probably also have monthly/quarterly service charge. You would expect to be recharged your share of those shared costs. You would also probably be on a full repair lease, so any repairs to the ground would have been paid by the club too. Whatever the deal was with the UWE (and S Glos?) there would have been elements of shared usage and no doubt shared running and maintenance costs. This may well have suited a club like BRFC without a billionaire benefactor. Also, how refreshing for the club to have a good friendly working relationship with the neighbourhood community and council. One thing for sure is that whatever happens to the Memorial Ground, it's not going to be used for anything other Rovers' home games and all of the running and maintenance costs will have to be paid for by the club. It will never compete with Ashton Gate for events and multi-usage and chances are the football team won't either. Rovers have never been welcomed by the Horfield community, in general most of the locals would rather the club and supporters go somewhere else, it's a pity we didn't. |
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eagas
Youth Team
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Post by eagas on Sept 28, 2024 15:00:58 GMT
Paying only a peppercorn rent for the 100 year lease and not having to purchase land from UWE would have saved a huge outlay so seems only fair UWE wanted a percentage of non matchday income. Planning permission was given. If the land is still available then perhaps it's worth reopening talks? Apart from free prime greenfield land, car park (essential for those of us older folk and for potential new fans who don't live near Horfield) and token rent, the freeholder usually pays the bulk of the running and maintenance costs of the site and possibly the stadium too if it is considered a UWE facility, so that would be another significant cost saving for the club. It is naïve to expect the UWE or anyone to provide free land for the club's owners to build a stadium, hotel or whatever they want, have control of all the events and keep all the income. The Al Qadis are bankers, they and their legal team would have known all of this before they bought the club. We were told they had the funds, I imagine Higgs & Co understood that they had the funds and intended to complete the UWE project. The signs are that the family got cold feet and changed their mind. We the fans were let down once again. And there were more (Fruit Market) let downs to come. |
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eagas
Youth Team
Posts: 66
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Post by eagas on Sept 28, 2024 15:01:18 GMT
Apart from free prime greenfield land, car park (essential for those of us older folk and for potential new fans who don't live near Horfield) and token rent, the freeholder usually pays the bulk of the running and maintenance costs of the site and possibly the stadium too if it is considered a UWE facility, so that would be another significant cost saving for the club. It is naïve to expect the UWE or anyone to provide free land for the club's owners to build a stadium, hotel or whatever they want, have control of all the events and keep all the income. The Al Qadis are bankers, they and their legal team would have known all of this before they bought the club. We were told they had the funds, I imagine Higgs & Co understood that they had the funds and intended to complete the UWE project. The signs are that the family got cold feet and changed their mind. We the fans were let down once again. And there were more (Fruit Market) let downs to come. |
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eagas
Youth Team
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Post by eagas on Sept 28, 2024 15:03:28 GMT
Sorry about that, trying to quote whilst stood on a terrace!!!
Was going to add wasn’t it Waels brother who held the purse and was not interested?
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Post by willytopp84 on Sept 28, 2024 15:16:05 GMT
Sorry about that, trying to quote whilst stood on a terrace!!! Was going to add wasn’t it Waels brother who held the purse and was not interested? Think so and then the father passed and wael bought him out? Just before new owner joined the board? |
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Post by Topper Gas on Sept 28, 2024 15:51:37 GMT
I'm not sure we will ever see these new plans and the stadium developed. The longer it goes on I am less sure it will ever happen. I can see Wael moving away to a club nearer London and the Kuwaiti's selling up. Hope I'm wrong but the longer it goes on etc etc. Not immediately though. This 3 to 5 year plan to get us to the Championship, get the Quarters to a level 2 or 1 academy and increase the stadium capacity would add real value to the club and they would be able to receive a very good financial return on that hard work. They clearly stated they felt the overall spend would be around £35m, even giving a breakdown where the finance would come from, I can't recall them suggesting they were going to spend £35m then promptly sell up, there aims were to get us to the Championship and compete at that level, not promptly sell up as soon as we got there. |
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Post by gasify on Sept 28, 2024 17:07:55 GMT
I'm not sure where you are getting your info but I'm not sure that is correct. If you have a rental agreement, you would probably also have monthly/quarterly service charge. You would expect to be recharged your share of those shared costs. You would also probably be on a full repair lease, so any repairs to the ground would have been paid by the club too. Whatever the deal was with the UWE (and S Glos?) there would have been elements of shared usage and no doubt shared running and maintenance costs. This may well have suited a club like BRFC without a billionaire benefactor. Also, how refreshing for the club to have a good friendly working relationship with the neighbourhood community and council. One thing for sure is that whatever happens to the Memorial Ground, it's not going to be used for anything other Rovers' home games and all of the running and maintenance costs will have to be paid for by the club. It will never compete with Ashton Gate for events and multi-usage and chances are the football team won't either. Rovers have never been welcomed by the Horfield community, in general most of the locals would rather the club and supporters go somewhere else, it's a pity we didn't. That is just fantasy. Why couldn't we have events and gigs? You compare to AG where they have residents parking all around the ground. It's still a reasonably residential area. There is always the opportunity to hold gigs and other events. It's not up to the residents to decide. |
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Post by gasify on Sept 28, 2024 17:11:59 GMT
The impression that I got from the first fans forum was that the Kuwaiti's did want to sell up.Not immediately though. This 3 to 5 year plan to get us to the Championship, get the Quarters to a level 2 or 1 academy and increase the stadium capacity would add real value to the club and they would be able to receive a very good financial return on that hard work. They clearly stated they felt the overall spend would be around £35m, even giving a breakdown where the finance would come from, I can't recall them suggesting they were going to spend £35m then promptly sell up, there aims were to get us to the Championship and compete at that level, not promptly sell up as soon as we got there. I don't remember that £35m being an overspend. Didn't they say that they would spend £35m and the recoup about £16m with the sale of part of the quarters for housing? I chose my words carefully. I said the impression I got was that they would sell, not that they said they would sell. I still have that impression. |
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Post by gasify on Sept 28, 2024 17:14:14 GMT
The impression that I got from the first fans forum was that the Kuwaiti's did want to sell up.Not immediately though. This 3 to 5 year plan to get us to the Championship, get the Quarters to a level 2 or 1 academy and increase the stadium capacity would add real value to the club and they would be able to receive a very good financial return on that hard work. They clearly stated they felt the overall spend would be around £35m, even giving a breakdown where the finance would come from, I can't recall them suggesting they were going to spend £35m then promptly sell up, there aims were to get us to the Championship and compete at that level, not promptly sell up as soon as we got there. You have completely ignored the second paragraph. <passes reading glasses> does that help? |
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Post by Topper Gas on Sept 28, 2024 17:16:42 GMT
Whatever the deal was with the UWE (and S Glos?) there would have been elements of shared usage and no doubt shared running and maintenance costs. This may well have suited a club like BRFC without a billionaire benefactor. Also, how refreshing for the club to have a good friendly working relationship with the neighbourhood community and council. One thing for sure is that whatever happens to the Memorial Ground, it's not going to be used for anything other Rovers' home games and all of the running and maintenance costs will have to be paid for by the club. It will never compete with Ashton Gate for events and multi-usage and chances are the football team won't either. Rovers have never been welcomed by the Horfield community, in general most of the locals would rather the club and supporters go somewhere else, it's a pity we didn't. That is just fantasy. Why couldn't we have events and gigs? You compare to AG where they have residents parking all around the ground. It's still a reasonably residential area. There is always the opportunity to hold gigs and other events. It's not up to the residents to decide. BCC has to grant an entertainment license for such events, so far we haven't managed to put on one event. AG doesn;t have housing on all four sides of the ground like an extended Mem would nor a virtual "lights out" at 10:30 ruling, |
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Post by Topper Gas on Sept 28, 2024 17:25:10 GMT
They clearly stated they felt the overall spend would be around £35m, even giving a breakdown where the finance would come from, I can't recall them suggesting they were going to spend £35m then promptly sell up, there aims were to get us to the Championship and compete at that level, not promptly sell up as soon as we got there. You have completely ignored the second paragraph. <passes reading glasses> does that help? How can I have ignored when the whole post is in response, I've no idea what the owners are thinking long term, all what seemed clear is that they intended spending a lot of money on the Mem & The Quarters. Wael must be cleaver than I thought if he's convinced them that spending £m's at Rovers is a good investment, perhaps he's the idiot who also convinced them BG MK2 would work by spending more money on young players. |
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Post by gasify on Sept 28, 2024 17:33:45 GMT
You have completely ignored the second paragraph. <passes reading glasses> does that help? How can I have ignored when the whole post is in response, I've no idea what the owners are thinking long term, all what seemed clear is that they intended spending a lot of money on the Mem & The Quarters. Wael must be cleaver than I thought if he's convinced them that spending £m's at Rovers is a good investment, perhaps he's the idiot who also convinced them BG MK2 would work by spending more money on young players. I suppose, my thoughts are: New owners buy an 'asset' They then add to that asset They then sell that asset. Let's see Rovers as a house. They bought a house in Hartcliffe (sorry for anyone that lives there. As a north Bristol boy, it's the pits) They then added a new extension out the back (the ground improvements) They then sell part of the garden to build a second home (maybe a place that can be air Bnb'd) - The quarters Now here is there value adder. What if Millfields (the private school) builds a school in the local area and this house is next door) - This is the promotion to the Championship bit. That house is gonna be worth a fu..ck tonne more that it's constituent parts. At that point you sell. Apologies for talking BS (I'm in the pub drowing my sorrows, like a few of us probably). |
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Post by singupgas on Oct 4, 2024 10:59:16 GMT
Was the subject not breached at this weeks AGM?
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Post by Colyton Gas on Oct 4, 2024 16:57:22 GMT
See Newcastle thinking of leaving St James Park as they need an increase in capacity from the current limit of 55,000.Different World ain't it?
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