Memorial Ground Heritage Site?

[foghornred]

I am all for the Gas moving to Gloucester but I fail to see the need for 21000 seats and I am not sure that the Gas got the ground fairly as it was the Rugby clubs until they got into financial trouble,and the Gas were lodgers.

When an how the Rugby club closed those gates and made it their ground has to be looked at as well,all in all lots of money for the legal teams as time drifts on and on just like Ashton Vale ! 

[Aizoon]

"anyone wearing a white poppy should be lined up and shot"

And they would if your lot had won WWII. I would never wear a white poppy myself, but I'm happy to defend people's right to do so

[REDOXO]

Having the gas forever in our debt, never letting them forget it, laughing even harder when they still fail completely to get the ground built even with the cash from the ground sale...........yes it would be worth it

Having the Sags forever in SLs debt! Probably not high on his bucket list!

[EnclosureSurge]

 

Gents, I am a gashead who would like to make some points on the whole war memorial issue. I am a Bristolian born and bred but left as a 17 year old in 1997 to join Bristol's local armoured regiment, The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment. Since then I have fought in many conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen young men die and had to deal with the consequences, picking up the pieces of a dead 18 year old plymouth fan the most recent. Everything I have done  was as a proud englishman and Bristolian.

Through my experiences I know the importance of war memorials, whilst in Iraq we came across an old British memorial from WW1 and set about cleaning it up. I have also been to France to apply oil to an old British mark one Tank, a job that has to be done religiously to stop it from crumbling. They mean a hell of a lot to me and i would go out of my way to help save one if I thought it was in danger.

I know there are a lot of views on here about what the Memorial ground is. I have researched it myself as it wouldn't sit well with me if Sainsburys were to destroy it. Everything i read points to the fact that yes the ground was given as a memorial for the people of Bristol to use for sport. This is no longer the case and has not been since the rugby club started locking the gates to stop the public from using it. This happened long before most of us were alive and since then as you can see from the picture, it has been developed and changed massively since it was gifted.

Originally the whole site was playing fields with money raised to build spectator areas and changing rooms. Any member of the public could use the grounds to play sport. As you can see, since the picture, the ground has been developed, the gates locked to stop members of the public using the sight for its intended purpose. The very sports pitches gifted were covered in concrete and turned into a huge car park, the pitch re-orientated and bigger stands/terracing built  consuming more pitches, the last remaining pitches and some of the car park sold off for housing until we are left with the the memorial stadium we have today.

All of this was done by the Bristol combination, rugby club and later Bristol rovers without any opposition and because of this I can not take seriously the claims that the actual ground is the memorial, not unless all the development is knocked down and all the sports pitches restored giving the public free access.

What we currently have is an embarrassment to our war dead. The memorial gates aside, which Bristol Rovers applied for to be listed to protect them, the stadium is a dump and certainly not fit for purpose.

A fitting tribute to Bristols war dead would be for the ground to act as an enabler so that Bristols sporting facilities can be improved and provide the legacy. War memorials can be moved, How about a pillar each being moved to UWE and Ashton Gate so sports fans can be reminded of the sacrifice and not Saturday shoppers. Rename UWE stadium as the UWE Memorial Stadium so that there is a clear link to the sacrifice of our servicemen.

The only reason there is opposition now is because a supermarket is going in, something Carstairs, a trash supporter has been vehemently against. Even in his statement today about his EH application he states that the development would be bad for Glouster Road. How dare he. As a soldier his argument offends me more that the thought of the mem being developed. He doesnt give a rats arse about OUR war dead, OUR relatives, both red and blue.

I know there is an intense rivalry between our two clubs but when you put the football aside we are all Bristolians who socialise and work together. Myself, I am the only gashead in my family being a withwood lad! But please dont let a Nimby use our war dead as an excuse to stop progress in our city. It infuriates me that he pretends that he is concerned when it is a known fact that Green party members and supporters wear white poppy's during November to support conscientious objectors, and not the servicemen that fought and died.

If you personally believe that the ground is the memorial then fair enough, if not please do not sign Carstairs position just because you are City and they are Rovers. There is a bigger issue to this and I just hope that this bloke can not be allowed to win this case.  Instead apply support to the gate pillars being moved in their entirety to the UWE or a pillar each to Ashton Gate and UWE so that sports fans can truly remember.

 

 

 

I have to commend you, Tankie, on an excellent post: well-written, leaving emotive language to one side and insightful.

 

I don't agree necessarily with all your points, but that's irrelevant as I think you have brought an element of humility and balance to a fairly toxic topic.

 

Fair play to you.

[WTFiGO!?!]

I signed the petition for three reasons:

1) The war memorial should not be profiteered from (other than in the case of relevant charities such as Help for Heroes etc)

2) I don't like Bristol Rovers F.C. nor their current or historic conduct regarding said memorial

3) There is no need for further cooperate food outlets, especially in that area

It only seems to be the pirates (and Sainsburys?) who want the memorial's destruction. What does that tell us?

[tiz]

[tiz]

[REDOXO]

I have to commend you, Tankie, on an excellent post: well-written, leaving emotive language to one side and insightful.

I don't agree necessarily with all your points, but that's irrelevant as I think you have brought an element of humility and balance to a fairly toxic topic.

Fair play to you.

I agree totally as above!

The reality is this! Bristol Rovers can not afford to redevelop the Memorial Ground and have to sell it to survive and build a new stadium! If you believe this is an action that the Rugby players of Bristol in two wars and more much more would approve of then they should be allowed to go to the UWE with the cash and sell to the highest bidder. If not them sign the petition. I know what I think!

[RedRaw]

I am all for the Gas moving to Gloucester

Gloucester?

[bizi]

"anyone wearing a white poppy should be lined up and shot"

And they would if your lot had won WWII. I would never wear a white poppy myself, but I'm happy to defend people's right to do so

My lot did win World War Two, not sure how this forum works but if you start a thread in the proper section im willing to discuss it with you

[Bedminster Born And Red]

I agree with the Horse Puncher and his very sensible post for what it's worth. The application to English Heritage has got nothing to whatsoever do with War Memorials. It's just a last ditch attempt to stop the stadium being sold and turned into a Supermarket. No different to the Village Green frequenters at the Ashton Vale Radon Gas site.

 

I'm all for the rivalry with the other lot and, lets be fair, our lot have had some fun these last few weeks. But the bigger picture is that we all live in a City full of "non local" NIMBY'S who do everything in their power to hold back progress and as long as the majority of us sit back and do nothing we will continue to live in Europe's largest VILLAGE.

 

If the City Council themselves thought so much of the War Memorial all they had to do was whack a clause in the Section 106 ordering Sainsbury's to either erect something suitable in the local vicinity or make a financial contribution enabling the Council to do so.

[WTFiGO!?!]

I agree totally as above!

The reality is this! Bristol Rovers can not afford to redevelop the Memorial Ground and have to sell it to survive and build a new stadium! If you believe this is an action that the Rugby players of Bristol in two wars and more much more would approve of then they should be allowed to go to the UWE with the cash and sell to the highest bidder. If not them sign the petition. I know what I think!

I think Bristol Rovers' survival prospects would be better served if they hadn't been ran so incompetently by the same people who are now trying to push this move through.

Club's who didn't have a budget to compete for promotion, with a smaller fan base, have surpassed Rovers' achievements without the need to move or destroy a part of Bristol's heritage - relocating it to South Glos.

Ironically, this toxic issue seems to have proved a sidetrack and part of the cause of their recent relegation. I, personally, wouldn't trust their custodian's judgements as far as I could throw them, let alone re issues as irreversible as this.

[bizi]

BBAR  English heritage were consulted during the planning process , but said nothing strange, if we do finally iron out all these hurdles ,does it not give your owner more weight to fight for AV (never quite worked out how or why it was stopped as i cant remember if yours went to full JR or not)

[tankie1]

IMG_38043585950151-2.jpg

I'm not contesting that the ground was given as a memorial, but it was given as a place for the people of bristol to use. This hasn't happened since the rugby club locked the gates and stopped people from using it. No one argued when 3/4 of the ground was concreted over and built on. None of the structures that stand today, besides the gates are an original feature from the 1920s. The same gates that bristol rovers themselves applied and got grade two listing for.

So is the ground still a memorial?

Is it a fitting tribute, considering no rugby will be played there as from next season?

Why was the ground never listed as a war memorial?

Who will pay for the upkeep of this "memorial" if rovers fold?

Why is carstairs mentioning the effect on glouster road that the supermarket will bring if his main concern is our war dead?

Lastly, war memorials can be moved if those responsible for the upkeep need to move for any reason. If this bloke does win then I suspect the uwe will get memorial in the stadium name and that will become the new memorial.

[KeepUpLino]

On the imperial war museum records the actual field/ sports ground noted as the memorial with the gates as an extra...

I'm sure the words field/ sports ground will be used by this bloke fighting for it

[KeepUpLino]

I think he's got a strong case you know.

[Andy082005]

 

Gents, I am a gashead who would like to make some points on the whole war memorial issue. I am a Bristolian born and bred but left as a 17 year old in 1997 to join Bristol's local armoured regiment, The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment. Since then I have fought in many conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen young men die and had to deal with the consequences, picking up the pieces of a dead 18 year old plymouth fan the most recent. Everything I have done  was as a proud englishman and Bristolian.

Through my experiences I know the importance of war memorials, whilst in Iraq we came across an old British memorial from WW1 and set about cleaning it up. I have also been to France to apply oil to an old British mark one Tank, a job that has to be done religiously to stop it from crumbling. They mean a hell of a lot to me and i would go out of my way to help save one if I thought it was in danger.

I know there are a lot of views on here about what the Memorial ground is. I have researched it myself as it wouldn't sit well with me if Sainsburys were to destroy it. Everything i read points to the fact that yes the ground was given as a memorial for the people of Bristol to use for sport. This is no longer the case and has not been since the rugby club started locking the gates to stop the public from using it. This happened long before most of us were alive and since then as you can see from the picture, it has been developed and changed massively since it was gifted.

Originally the whole site was playing fields with money raised to build spectator areas and changing rooms. Any member of the public could use the grounds to play sport. As you can see, since the picture, the ground has been developed, the gates locked to stop members of the public using the sight for its intended purpose. The very sports pitches gifted were covered in concrete and turned into a huge car park, the pitch re-orientated and bigger stands/terracing built  consuming more pitches, the last remaining pitches and some of the car park sold off for housing until we are left with the the memorial stadium we have today.

All of this was done by the Bristol combination, rugby club and later Bristol rovers without any opposition and because of this I can not take seriously the claims that the actual ground is the memorial, not unless all the development is knocked down and all the sports pitches restored giving the public free access.

What we currently have is an embarrassment to our war dead. The memorial gates aside, which Bristol Rovers applied for to be listed to protect them, the stadium is a dump and certainly not fit for purpose.

A fitting tribute to Bristols war dead would be for the ground to act as an enabler so that Bristols sporting facilities can be improved and provide the legacy. War memorials can be moved, How about a pillar each being moved to UWE and Ashton Gate so sports fans can be reminded of the sacrifice and not Saturday shoppers. Rename UWE stadium as the UWE Memorial Stadium so that there is a clear link to the sacrifice of our servicemen.

The only reason there is opposition now is because a supermarket is going in, something Carstairs, a trash supporter has been vehemently against. Even in his statement today about his EH application he states that the development would be bad for Glouster Road. How dare he. As a soldier his argument offends me more that the thought of the mem being developed. He doesnt give a rats arse about OUR war dead, OUR relatives, both red and blue.

I know there is an intense rivalry between our two clubs but when you put the football aside we are all Bristolians who socialise and work together. Myself, I am the only gashead in my family being a withwood lad! But please dont let a Nimby use our war dead as an excuse to stop progress in our city. It infuriates me that he pretends that he is concerned when it is a known fact that Green party members and supporters wear white poppy's during November to support conscientious objectors, and not the servicemen that fought and died.

If you personally believe that the ground is the memorial then fair enough, if not please do not sign Carstairs position just because you are City and they are Rovers. There is a bigger issue to this and I just hope that this bloke can not be allowed to win this case.  Instead apply support to the gate pillars being moved in their entirety to the UWE or a pillar each to Ashton Gate and UWE so that sports fans can truly remember.

 

 

 

 

I find myself nodding in agreement with everything you say if I am honest, and have already thought that with the rugby moving away from the ground, the place will just to rot anyway.

 

Every time I go to think "yeah fair play....I hope they do get their ground".....I suddenly remember all the fans on your forum who were so against OUR new stadium, who signed petitions to protect the "village green", who laughed and joked at us when it all went down the pan, who mocked us because we were left living in a stadium which was dated and not fit for purpose. 

 

I'm fairly certain I can even remember your own chairman or board, not giving any support our way.  Both clubs could have joined forces and supported each other in our goals to get new stadiums.....how fantastic would that have been.  Two bitter rivals coming together for the good of the City. Both clubs ending up with brand new stadiums.  Rovers could not do it.

 

I was to young for the early 80's (I was born in 81)....however I have heard the stories about how Rovers were not only happy to circle our dying club like vultures, they tried to peck away at it by taking our ground on the cheap.

 

You seem like one of the real genuine ones.....for me though, for every one of you, there are 50 Sags who I am enjoying laughing at right about now.

[tiz]

[myol'man]

 

Gents, I am a gashead who would like to make some points on the whole war memorial issue. I am a Bristolian born and bred but left as a 17 year old in 1997 to join Bristol's local armoured regiment, The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment. Since then I have fought in many conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen young men die and had to deal with the consequences, picking up the pieces of a dead 18 year old plymouth fan the most recent. Everything I have done  was as a proud englishman and Bristolian.

Through my experiences I know the importance of war memorials, whilst in Iraq we came across an old British memorial from WW1 and set about cleaning it up. I have also been to France to apply oil to an old British mark one Tank, a job that has to be done religiously to stop it from crumbling. They mean a hell of a lot to me and i would go out of my way to help save one if I thought it was in danger.

I know there are a lot of views on here about what the Memorial ground is. I have researched it myself as it wouldn't sit well with me if Sainsburys were to destroy it. Everything i read points to the fact that yes the ground was given as a memorial for the people of Bristol to use for sport. This is no longer the case and has not been since the rugby club started locking the gates to stop the public from using it. This happened long before most of us were alive and since then as you can see from the picture, it has been developed and changed massively since it was gifted.

Originally the whole site was playing fields with money raised to build spectator areas and changing rooms. Any member of the public could use the grounds to play sport. As you can see, since the picture, the ground has been developed, the gates locked to stop members of the public using the sight for its intended purpose. The very sports pitches gifted were covered in concrete and turned into a huge car park, the pitch re-orientated and bigger stands/terracing built  consuming more pitches, the last remaining pitches and some of the car park sold off for housing until we are left with the the memorial stadium we have today.

All of this was done by the Bristol combination, rugby club and later Bristol rovers without any opposition and because of this I can not take seriously the claims that the actual ground is the memorial, not unless all the development is knocked down and all the sports pitches restored giving the public free access.

What we currently have is an embarrassment to our war dead. The memorial gates aside, which Bristol Rovers applied for to be listed to protect them, the stadium is a dump and certainly not fit for purpose.

A fitting tribute to Bristols war dead would be for the ground to act as an enabler so that Bristols sporting facilities can be improved and provide the legacy. War memorials can be moved, How about a pillar each being moved to UWE and Ashton Gate so sports fans can be reminded of the sacrifice and not Saturday shoppers. Rename UWE stadium as the UWE Memorial Stadium so that there is a clear link to the sacrifice of our servicemen.

The only reason there is opposition now is because a supermarket is going in, something Carstairs, a trash supporter has been vehemently against. Even in his statement today about his EH application he states that the development would be bad for Glouster Road. How dare he. As a soldier his argument offends me more that the thought of the mem being developed. He doesnt give a rats arse about OUR war dead, OUR relatives, both red and blue.

I know there is an intense rivalry between our two clubs but when you put the football aside we are all Bristolians who socialise and work together. Myself, I am the only gashead in my family being a withwood lad! But please dont let a Nimby use our war dead as an excuse to stop progress in our city. It infuriates me that he pretends that he is concerned when it is a known fact that Green party members and supporters wear white poppy's during November to support conscientious objectors, and not the servicemen that fought and died.

If you personally believe that the ground is the memorial then fair enough, if not please do not sign Carstairs position just because you are City and they are Rovers. There is a bigger issue to this and I just hope that this bloke can not be allowed to win this case.  Instead apply support to the gate pillars being moved in their entirety to the UWE or a pillar each to Ashton Gate and UWE so that sports fans can truly remember.

 

 

 

Very well written sir, and agree with you in your opinion of the weasel who has raised this latest objection. But you won't find too much support for anything to do with a new stadium for your lot after the Eastville sell out to the dog racing mob back in the 50's followed by the mugging of Bristol Rugby after you had moved in as tenants. Don't trust Higgs or Dunsford, they are your problem, not a few 'teds on your forum, or some geek librarian from Bristol uni.

[WTFiGO!?!]

I'm not contesting that the ground was given as a memorial, but it was given as a place for the people of bristol to use. This hasn't happened since the rugby club locked the gates and stopped people from using it. No one argued when 3/4 of the ground was concreted over and built on. None of the structures that stand today, besides the gates are an original feature from the 1920s. The same gates that bristol rovers themselves applied and got grade two listing for.

So is the ground still a memorial?

Is it a fitting tribute, considering no rugby will be played there as from next season?

Why was the ground never listed as a war memorial?

Who will pay for the upkeep of this "memorial" if rovers fold?

Why is carstairs mentioning the effect on glouster road that the supermarket will bring if his main concern is our war dead?

Lastly, war memorials can be moved if those responsible for the upkeep need to move for any reason. If this bloke does win then I suspect the uwe will get memorial in the stadium name and that will become the new memorial.

So after all the spin and sophistry, the degree of dejection your lot spare for us and your history of being utter ***** (trying to pillage AG in 82, expecting Bath City FC to pay for ground improvements to bring it up to league standards, exploitation of Bristol RFC etc) you seriously expect us to support your major profiteering should this move go ahead?

That it's a war memorial is bad enough. With or without that issue though, it seems you're rallying for City's support for a selfish sags course.

Seems desperate to me but, out of interest, were there any City appealing to gas heads for support re Ashton Vale?

[BS34Red]

Tankie your arguement is flawed completely. As a youngster in the 90s I spent a lot if time at the Memorial Ground. The gates were always open and you could just wander around the ground as you wished. I used to go up there every night after school with friends and play on the training pitch etc. The gates were locked once Rovers owned the ground and also the housing was built after Rovers owned the ground. I'm completely sorry but my childhood proves you are wrong. But hey lets not let facts get in the way. Your a sag head so ofc you want them to knock it down and you move to UWE thats only natural but as your biased and your opinions are based on false truths then your opinions dont count.

[red panda]

Again it depends on how people use words now and in the past, as an example my Grandad and Dad never said ground as in im off to the rovers ground as we would,  but always refer to ground in the context of where they were stood at that point in time, for me the memorial is the gates how many of you stand inside and use it as a memorial its always held at the gates, and in context with cries of desecration the land was desecrated the very first time anything was changed after the gates were installed, and lets face it ,i would much rather be able to sit beside the gate and remember rather than stand in that shitehole of a lane, don't be fooled by these people using the emotion of the plaque i remember the greens using it as a tactic, that riled me as these same people were then asking where they could buy a white poppy (anyone wearing a white poppy should be lined up and shot) . i think trying to blame rovers is daft as at the end of the day do we blame the rugby club for pissing away their money, or do we blame lansdown for waiting just long enough for rovers to get planning and then announce the rugby club will move to ag, or do we blame the locals for not buying the ground or rich bushiness men for not clubbing together, things move on war memorials get moved some destroyed completely, i personally hope the gates are left where they are and get a nice garden setting that is well tended. Also whilst shouting out rovers stole the ground remember who stole the ground from the allotment owners, and that Bristol wern't the first rugby club to play on that land.

 

Also may i personally say thank you to tankie 1 for the bit of his post about cleaning a memorial in iraq, as my great grandfather died over there and no one has been able to visit.

 

Again im not blaming thr rugby club, rovers, or lansdown, im trying to point out things move on as the world turns , but for me personally i will have a place i can sit anytime and think about family friends and fellow countrymen who never came home

 

 

No hold up that was not Tankie 1 that was me who said that, Tankie 1 mentioned white popies and conchies

 

Rememberance day is about remembering the dead A red poppy represent the blood shed, not a statement for or against war, Why dont you wear your peace symbol all year round , and on remeberance day either wear a red one or none at all

I stand by my comments about white poppies, why would you want to wear a poppy that to a service man or woman signifies surrender, but as mentioned elsewhere the greens and otheres used the white poppy to remember all those who chickenedout and let down those who fought on our behalf

 

Gosh, what a nasty person you are.  A real shame as there have been some great posts on this thread.

[WTFiGO!?!]

Tankie your arguement is flawed completely. As a youngster in the 90s I spent a lot if time at the Memorial Ground. The gates were always open and you could just wander around the ground as you wished. I used to go up there every night after school with friends and play on the training pitch etc. The gates were locked once Rovers owned the ground and also the housing was built after Rovers owned the ground. I'm completely sorry but my childhood proves you are wrong. But hey lets not let facts get in the way. Your a sag head so ofc you want them to knock it down and you move to UWE thats only natural but as your biased and your opinions are based on false truths then your opinions dont count.

I too used to go to the Mem as a kid. It was a quid to get in and two if you wanted to go under the roof when it was raining. We ran on the pitch after EVERY game and I used to chat with the players. After it turned pro it all changed, though. And I always preferred going to City but it was more expensive. Once Rovers moved in it was weirdly like handing the Mem over. I've been to maybe 5 games since, most as a carer. They do good grub.

FTG

[Geoff65]

 

It has been thought by some that the idea of making the ground a "Memorial" savoured a little of making a "stunt" of the war, but reflection on the true facts would show that no such motive ever entered the heads of the promoters. The site was purchased by the donor and presented to the club before any such scheme was entertained, and in any case the ground would have been accomplished fact. There were those who wished to identify it with the brave fellows who were B.F.C. players, but the larger view was taken that it should be a memorial not only to B.F.C members, but to all Bristol Rugby men who fell in the war.

......

There is no bar to any player wearing the Bristol colours - except professionalism - and any lad playing Rugger in this neighbourhood may rightly aspire to play for "Bristol". It is the big view which those inclined to criticise (possibly without grasping facts like these) should take, and every real lover of sport will feel a great pride that at Horfield so splendid a memorial to the fallen footballers of our city has bee founded for all time.

 

WESTERN DAILY PRESS Friday September 9, 1921

 

 

[Sydneybcfc]

I'm not going to step into the memorial yes/no debate my only concern (which stems to the whole of Bristol) is the lack of progress and what it costs Bristol as a whole.

Its clear to me that the Mem is no longer fit for purpose as a professional sporting venue, whether its Bristol Rugby or Bristol Rovers i'd say that both have probably outgrown it at least from an ageing perspective and what's there needs to be knocked down and something more modern built (the same as us and the ageing stands we have).

If it gets registered as a memorial then what happens to the ground and who pays for it? Will the council be forced to buy it? Who will pay to maintain the crumbling old terraces and who will actually use this new 'public' space if the Rugby and Rovers move out?

Registering the land will make it all but worthless except as a sporting ground, but if the footprint is no longer suitable for a modern stadium the last thing Bristol needs is another failed project that ends up costing taxpayers in the long run.

[BS34Red]

But Bristol will be losing a sporting venue to be replaced by a sainsburys.

[Barrs Court Red]

The guy that's made the application isn't Bristolian.

Seems to be a theme...

[tankie1]

Tankie your arguement is flawed completely. As a youngster in the 90s I spent a lot if time at the Memorial Ground. The gates were always open and you could just wander around the ground as you wished. I used to go up there every night after school with friends and play on the training pitch etc. The gates were locked once Rovers owned the ground and also the housing was built after Rovers owned the ground. I'm completely sorry but my childhood proves you are wrong. But hey lets not let facts get in the way. Your a sag head so ofc you want them to knock it down and you move to UWE thats only natural but as your biased and your opinions are based on false truths then your opinions dont count.

So why didn't you or abyone for that matter complain when you were stopped from using the training pitches?

[tankie1]

The guy that's made the application isn't Bristolian.

Seems to be a theme...

Brilliant!!!!

Like I said, he's using OUR war dead, brave BRISTOLIANS as a tool for his quest against supermarkets.

Regardless of wether or not you see the ground as a memorial, I am sure you could all agree that this carstairs bloke is pure pond life. An insult to those who joined, fought, and died for "Bristols own" Battalion

[red panda]

I'm not going to step into the memorial yes/no debate my only concern (which stems to the whole of Bristol) is the lack of progress and what it costs Bristol as a whole.

Its clear to me that the Mem is no longer fit for purpose as a professional sporting venue, whether its Bristol Rugby or Bristol Rovers i'd say that both have probably outgrown it at least from an ageing perspective and what's there needs to be knocked down and something more modern built (the same as us and the ageing stands we have).

If it gets registered as a memorial then what happens to the ground and who pays for it? Will the council be forced to buy it? Who will pay to maintain the crumbling old terraces and who will actually use this new 'public' space if the Rugby and Rovers move out?

Registering the land will make it all but worthless except as a sporting ground, but if the footprint is no longer suitable for a modern stadium the last thing Bristol needs is another failed project that ends up costing taxpayers in the long run.

 

Surely that makes it perfect for NLBR