Vale Park Capacity

[robf]

At the risk of repeating myself on this thread (so sorry if you've seen me post this already)...

For me, the top priority wouldn't be to look to increase the Railway capacity (although released ST seats seems a good idea) but to address the elephant in the room which is the 1,000+ brand new unused seats in the LS stand. Opening that in combination to a switch to the Hamil End (which also helps with things like an increased fanzone area, access to Tommy Cheadles etc) would help boost the number of home tickets considerably. Not only that but as the new LS area is proposed to be a family area that also gives top-notch seating to youngsters which can only be a good thing in encouraging them to become long-term supporters.

For anyone who didn't know - the reason why that area isn't used is that the concourse area isn't open so it doesn't meet safety standards. The concourse needs clearing out, turnstiles, exit gates, refreshment kiosks and toilets adding. The estimated cost is £100k hence the appeal for fans to raise that money as the club had other spending priorities. Currently that appeal stands at around £15k.

I know the club have to move the players gym out of the concourse to allow work to begin, but presuming that isn't too difficult (I would guess it will go to the new training ground building) I'm surprised there aren't more efforts to reach that £100k target to open up the concourse and get that new part of the stand used. 

In my view, it would be a huge boost and solve a lot of future discontent if we could move to the Hamil End AND open up that part of the LS as a family stand in the new year. 

[bomber]

I really hope we can push on in this division, and get a bit of excitement going and get regular big crowds. Let's hope that then this would be the impetus to get the Lorne st fund going again and give us all the desire to keep chipping in. A few hundred people giving 2 or 3 quid a week would soon make some inroads.  It's such a shame the fund got hijacked by the pandemic as it started off quite well.

[darren1810]

20 minutes ago, bomber said:

I really hope we can push on in this division, and get a bit of excitement going and get regular big crowds. Let's hope that then this would be the impetus to get the Lorne st fund going again and give us all the desire to keep chipping in. A few hundred people giving 2 or 3 quid a week would soon make some inroads.  It's such a shame the fund got hijacked by the pandemic as it started off quite well.

I agree , though as i've already said the ridiculous restrictions in the Hamil end will cost the club upwards of 60 grand against Wednesday and Derby which could of helped out. 

[Guppys left peg]

11 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

I agree , though as i've already said the ridiculous restrictions in the Hamil end will cost the club upwards of 60 grand against Wednesday and Derby which could of helped out. 

Looks like Wednesday already sold out their allocation not that it’s a particular shock. Believe there’s a supporters club meeting tonight, don’t know if anyone on here is attending but it could do with asking for them to take to the club regards our capacity and what needs to be done for it to go up.

Robs solution is definitely the one I think should be top priority though with the Lorne Street.

[Andy Proctor]

With shef wed selling out quicky, I wouldn't be surprised if they start buying tickets in the home end, most likely the bycars stand.

If work has got to be carried out on the railway roof and the stand is not able to be used, then the club needs to find space to house 4000 to 5000 home fans from the paddock and stand into the hamil and new Lorne street area.

[Doha]

We more or less filled the Hamil last season.

Why is now being restricted to 3300? What makes it now magically unsafe to accomodate 4516 or whatever it is? Is it solely policing?

Why won't the club say anything about the restrictions in general? What the plan is to remove them? This is costing us revenue.

 

https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2022/may/gallery--port-vale-1-0-swindon-town-6-5/

 

[dishydave]

I really hope we can push on in this division, and get a bit of excitement going and get regular big crowds. Let's hope that then this would be the impetus to get the Lorne st fund going again and give us all the desire to keep chipping in. A few hundred people giving 2 or 3 quid a week would soon make some inroads.  It's such a shame the fund got hijacked by the pandemic as it started off quite well.

All the supporters club are interested in is the John rudge statue which they have nowhere to put. So this Lorne Street fund has become a farce and the 100k price has at least doubled now with the increased costs of materials.

[dishydave]

We more or less filled the Hamil last season.
Why is now being restricted to 3300? What makes it now magically unsafe to accomodate 4516 or whatever it is? Is it solely policing?
Why won't the club say anything about the restrictions in general? What the plan is to remove them? This is costing us revenue.
 
https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2022/may/gallery--port-vale-1-0-swindon-town-6-5/

 

It's probably to do with the police bill after seeing all that lot against Shrewsbury I dred to think how many will be here for the Sheffield Wednesday game

[Smallthorne clampet]

10 hours ago, robf said:

At the risk of repeating myself on this thread (so sorry if you've seen me post this already)...

For me, the top priority wouldn't be to look to increase the Railway capacity (although released ST seats seems a good idea) but to address the elephant in the room which is the 1,000+ brand new unused seats in the LS stand. Opening that in combination to a switch to the Hamil End (which also helps with things like an increased fanzone area, access to Tommy Cheadles etc) would help boost the number of home tickets considerably. Not only that but as the new LS area is proposed to be a family area that also gives top-notch seating to youngsters which can only be a good thing in encouraging them to become long-term supporters.

For anyone who didn't know - the reason why that area isn't used is that the concourse area isn' open so it doesn't meet safety standards. The concourse needs clearing out, turnstiles, exit gates, refreshment kiosks and toilets adding. The estimated cost is £100k hence the appeal for fans to raise that money as the club had other spending priorities. Currently that appeal stands at around £15k.

I know the club have to move the players gym out of the concourse to allow work to begin, but presuming that isn't too difficult (I would guess it will go to the new training ground building) I'm surprised there aren't more efforts to reach that £100k target to open up the concourse and get that new part of the stand used. 

In my view, it would be a huge boost and solve a lot of future discontent if we could move to the Hamil End AND open up that part of the LS as a family stand in the new year. 

This needs looking at again in my opinion - we are never going to raise the money for the lorne st and the john rudge statue , which with costs going up , could be near to £250,000. As much as I applaud the work being done , asking the fans to raise that kind of money in the current financial crisis seems frankly impossible. I dont know what the solution is ,  perhaps doing one project at a time would be a start. Perhaps the club would donate the 50/50 matchday draw money to one project , and fans could get behind this , if 2000 fans per game bought a £1 ticket , they cuold win £1000 and put £1000 towwards the project , bringing in approx £25000 per season -it can be done.   

[rob1983]

Did anyone raise this issue at the supporters club meeting last night?

[Frank Mustard]

Did anyone raise this issue at the supporters club meeting last night?

You can't ask awkward questions at supporters club meetings. It's all pats on backs and false laughter, oh and then get your wallet out for concourses, statues e.t.c.

[robf]

11 hours ago, Smallthorne clampet said:

This needs looking at again in my opinion - we are never going to raise the money for the lorne st and the john rudge statue , which with costs going up , could be near to £250,000. As much as I applaud the work being done , asking the fans to raise that kind of money in the current financial crisis seems frankly impossible. I dont know what the solution is ,  perhaps doing one project at a time would be a start. Perhaps the club would donate the 50/50 matchday draw money to one project , and fans could get behind this , if 2000 fans per game bought a £1 ticket , they cuold win £1000 and put £1000 towwards the project , bringing in approx £25000 per season -it can be done.   

I think I'm right on this but I think it isn't that the club would not ultimately pay for the Lorne St concourse, it was just that it was low down on their list of priorities so if fans wanted it earlier then they needed to raise the funds.

I presume one of the reasons for the low priority was

1. The club needed to build the training ground building first in order to move the gym into it (it would be pointless converting the concourse ahead of this as where would the gym equipment go and where could the players work on their fitness).

2. There was also limited time to do the work due to the shortened summer period (the work that was done was only just completed in time)

3. A third reason was the priority spending on other important things like the PA system which cost £500k alone. 

 

As for it being completed...

I don't think we need to wait (forever) for the fundraiser to hit £100k for the work to happen. 

The quickest way would be to raise the cash and at least push efforts to do so. Even if it doesn't hit the target any money raised makes it a less expensive exercise for the club to put in the remainder of the money.

I would also imagine things have changed a fair bit since those seats have gone in. We weren't selling out home areas at that time and we weren't getting the additional income from being in League One.  So, I wouldn't be surprised if completing the work is now a lot closer the top of the club's priorities. After all, for an £85,000 outlay (or less if more is raised) they get to potentially increase matchday ticket sales by a fairly significant amount.

However, I would guess the club will not commit that sort of money until our status in L1 is safe, so the earliest we could expect it done by the club is the summer. If we want it any earlier it would mean raising that missing amount during this season - something which does look unlikely, especially as it's not being promoted or pushed very much. 

We may just have to wait till the club decides it's the right time to complete.

[Santa]

15 hours ago, dishydave said:

17 hours ago, bomber said:

I really hope we can push on in this division, and get a bit of excitement going and get regular big crowds. Let's hope that then this would be the impetus to get the Lorne st fund going again and give us all the desire to keep chipping in. A few hundred people giving 2 or 3 quid a week would soon make some inroads.  It's such a shame the fund got hijacked by the pandemic as it started off quite well.

All the supporters club are interested in is the John rudge statue which they have nowhere to put. So this Lorne Street fund has become a farce and the 100k price has at least doubled now with the increased costs of materials.

It’s a shame that people close to the club such as yourself are down on the SC. I’ve been aware that there have been communications issues between the club and the SC, although I’d hoped that recent personnel changes might have improved matters.

Raising money to improve the Lorne Street is well intentioned although I don’t think it’s something a SC should be doing, especially given the 7 figure budget the club itself set aside for ground improvements this summer.

It’s hardly the fault of the SC that the price of the works has doubled. Some of the company Carol keeps would be better placed to answer why that is. 

[bomber]

I think our owners have done very well so far in trying to improve the club on and off the field. I for one most certainly be prepared donate on a regular basis to try and help push the Lorne St completion. As Rob says the club have a list of priorities as long as your arm . The completion of the Lorne St would benefit us all one way or another.

[Guitar Ray]

18 hours ago, dishydave said:

20 hours ago, bomber said:

I really hope we can push on in this division, and get a bit of excitement going and get regular big crowds. Let's hope that then this would be the impetus to get the Lorne st fund going again and give us all the desire to keep chipping in. A few hundred people giving 2 or 3 quid a week would soon make some inroads.  It's such a shame the fund got hijacked by the pandemic as it started off quite well.

All the supporters club are interested in is the John rudge statue which they have nowhere to put. So this Lorne Street fund has become a farce and the 100k price has at least doubled now with the increased costs of materials.

Slightly unfair.  I just think well meaning intentions have meant that the focus has been taken off one project in favour of another.  At the moment we probably have too many irons in the fire with regards to fundraising.

Have to say though not sure where your “doubling” of cost has come from but costs will no doubt increase with the passing of time.