It was good to hear the Michelle Harness interview with Ollie Turner and it is always refreshing to hear her answer most questions with openness and candour. I would like to have heard a bit more about learning points from last year beyond the pitch issues, but she is someone who is big enough to admit she and the board won’t get everything right.
I know this isn’t a new thing or unexpected, but the potential loss of the training pitch and east car park remain a big worry. On the plus side, we may be able to get a lease deal with the council for the training pitch. On the car park, the loss of revenue and capacity is a concern. Let’s hope that there is not a buyer for that land anytime soon.
The sale stipulation is I would think offsetting – anyone buying it as to provide social housing for Pensioners I .believe
Anyone who has parked there will know it is somewhat isolated, surely security would be a challenge for such an age group.
Regarding the training pitch I can see the plan re making some community accessible.
Quibell Park is a great sports ground but the covenants on it I was told make it very difficult to be anything other than a community facility. So I can see why the club won’t invest there.
So lets us hope a benefactor wants to step forward.
Was thinking earlier, I can only imagine the car park’s proximity to the stadium being attractive for trading. Just can’t envision it as a site for social housing for pensioners. Isolation and security issues, as you say, plus noise and matchday busyness making emergency routes in problematic, etc.
As a senior citizen I think it would be ideal.
Leave house 5 mins before kick off.
No problem getting home
M&S not far away for my wife and Boots handy for our prescriptions.
I would like to have heard a bit more about learning points from last year beyond the pitch issues, but she is someone who is big enough to admit she and the board won’t get everything right.
I agree that Michelle came across quite well, but I feel there could have been a bit more about the pitch issues. Whatever the reasons / excuses, it’s a shocker that they’ve messed it up completely two seasons running.
On the car park, the loss of revenue and capacity is a concern. Let’s hope that there is not a buyer for that land anytime soon.
This is the topic in the interview which made me shift in my seat a bit. Just going along with the sort of “look at other clubs who don’t have parking, they manage” thinking is probably sleepwalking into big problems.
This is the topic in the interview which made me shift in my seat a bit. Just going along with the sort of “look at other clubs who don’t have parking, they manage” thinking is probably sleepwalking into big problems.
On reflection, it’s not in the club’s hands, and those ‘in charge’ did what they had to do to keep the club alive / secure the ground so it’s not their fault, per se.
The car park situation is a little frustrating for me. Living in rural Yorkshire, I have to drive when I come to matches. I guess I will be one of many who will start annoying the locals when I park on the local estate streets!
Absolutely. Those clubs who have very limited parking options are based in town/city centres or otherwise well served by public transport. (Salford has no car parks and it’s a nightmare to find on street parking). Our ground is out of town and for many driving is the only realistic option. I know the club had no choice other than to hand over the land, but to do nothing in response is not an option.
This is the topic in the interview which made me shift in my seat a bit. Just going along with the sort of “look at other clubs who don’t have parking, they manage” thinking is probably sleepwalking into big problems.
On reflection, it’s not in the club’s hands, and those ‘in charge’ did what they had to do to keep the club alive / secure the ground so it’s not their fault, per se.
I always use to use the car park. Towards the end of last season I stopped mainly as i couldn’t be bothered waiting to leave and after a 2hr drive a walk to stretch the legs was good.
Now i never park in there having found a non residential street to park on which has a corner shop for snacks on the way home and a garage with a cash machine if i need cash for a programme.
The revenue loss will be the biggest pain tbh but very few clubs have such a big car park
Also do you think it would be OK to charge £5 for parking in my driveway
You should charge them a tenner and if you set up a little barbecue outside you could knock out some cheap bacon butties too, that would really piss the club off, lol.
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