The Lansdown Stand

[AshtonGreat]

After moaning last week about having to pay £38 for a ticket in the newly opened West Stand upper tier, I said I would post my comments having actually experienced it, so here goes...

There were certainly aspects of it that were impressive. I loved the quick and easy turnstyle system, and the spacious inner concourses. There were no shortage of food and drink outlets (I've never seen so much booze served at a football match!). I would've liked to see some windows in the upper concourse, as it made it feel a tad claustrophobic, but that's a small thing.

I was disappointed with the toilet facilities. In the gents I went in, there were only two cubicles - woefully inadequate - and in one of those the flush was broken. Still, I suppose getting soap is an improvement.

I commented last week that paying £38 for a seat in 'the gods' was expensive, to which another poster replied that it would be nothing like the gods at the theatre as the view would be fantastic. Well... It wasn't too dissimilar to the gods at the theatre because it's VERY high up, and trying to focus on players led to eye strain. You also lose much of the atmosphere and intensity you get when you're closer to the action. Having started my City 'journey' in the packed and passionate East End (standing) and then 'progressing' to the Atyeo (still some atmosphere but less so), sitting in the Lansdown felt like the journey to prawn sandwichville was complete. On a purely personal level, I also found it strangely claustrophobic being so high up, because I felt that if there was an emergency, it's a long way out. But that's just me.

As a jokey aside, the high seating position also makes the rest of the ground look small. I think it would be more impressive sitting opposite the Lansdown!

So we get to whether it was worth the £38. And considering the view is slightly worse and the physical seats/elbow space are the same, I guess it largely has to be based on the standard of football. Which, for me, didn't justify the outlay. It was quite a dull game and neither side showed outrageous quality (although Gayle's goal was well taken).

Obviously, the reasons for improving the ground are obvious (bigger capacity, being more attractive to incoming players, just making us a more modern club etc), and I don't want to come across as someone who's living in the past. I am excited about the direction the club is going. But would I pay £38 again for the experience? Unlikely.

 

 

[Bar BS3]

Interesting write up and thoughts on the upper tier, although the fact still remains that you/anyone has the option of cheaper seats with different viewpoints, if you purchase earlier before they sell out. 

[Xiled]

Ha ha, I guess it's not for you @AshtonGreat!!

The price is a definite issue as high up does not necessarily imply 'premium'. The cheapest seats at Wembley and the Millenium Stadium are at the top.

My experience of sitting at the back of the Dolman and then heading down to pitch side (20+ years ago) proved to me that my perception of the intensity and speed of play changed the closer I got to the pitch. The game may look very slow and mistake filled from the top of the Lansdown Stand.

All that said, it is absolutely iconic, I love the design, we need the additional capacity and it's great to have it!

Thanks for posting your thoughts and observations.

[ChippenhamRed]

I think the suggestion that the upper tier has "the best seats in the house" has been hugely overstated and I don't really understand why some are so desperate to sit there. It's too far up to be considered the best seats and I woudn't like the sense of detachment from the rest of the ground.

I also fully support the club's decision to use it as overflow only - imagine a smaller crowd than yesterday with a larger number of people in the top tier. It would have done nothing for the atmosphere at all. Plus of course it saves the club money to use it only when required.

[AshtonGreat]

29 minutes ago, Xiled said:

Ha ha, I guess it's not for you @AshtonGreat!!

The price is a definite issue as high up does not necessarily imply 'premium'. The cheapest seats at Wembley and the Millenium Stadium are at the top.

My experience of sitting at the back of the Dolman and then heading down to pitch side (20+ years ago) proved to me that my perception of the intensity and speed of play changed the closer I got to the pitch. The game may look very slow and mistake filled from the top of the Lansdown Stand.

All that said, it is absolutely iconic, I love the design, we need the additional capacity and it's great to have it!

Thanks for posting your thoughts and observations.

Thanks mate. It is, of course, a personal taste thing, and most of my post was meant as an observation rather than a gripe :-) As an aside, I was asked last week what I thought would be a fair price for sitting in the Lansdown. Now I've actually sat there, and also judging by the quality of the entertainment, hand on my heart I would say £25. You can get a ticket to see Barcelona for that, so why not?

[Alessandro]

Is this post for real?

Sorry, hold the press:

"Man who buys ticket for upper tier seat in Ashton Gate for first time realises everything is smaller the further back you go"

Seriously, why did you buy a ticket up there then? If you didn't want to be up high, get a ticket earlier, but then I guess you don't have your excuse to come have a moan about nothing much at all in here.

R.E your other points, it's still clearly weeks off total completion, it looked like more toilets etc still to open or be finished. 

[AshtonGreat]

19 minutes ago, Alessandro said:

Is this post for real?

Sorry, hold the press:

"Man who buys ticket for upper tier seat in Ashton Gate for first time realises everything is smaller the further back you go"

Seriously, why did you buy a ticket up there then? If you didn't want to be up high, get a ticket earlier, but then I guess you don't have your excuse to come have a moan about nothing much at all in here.

R.E your other points, it's still clearly weeks off total completion, it looked like more toilets etc still to open or be finished. 

Yes, everything is smaller the further back you go. So why are they the most expensive seats in the house?

As I've already said, I could not buy a ticket earlier. That's not the point anyway.

There were no half-finished toilets that were weeks from being completed. The toilets were finished, and with only two cubicles per block.

[slartibartfast]

30 minutes ago, Alessandro said:

Is this post for real?

Sorry, hold the press:

"Man who buys ticket for upper tier seat in Ashton Gate for first time realises everything is smaller the further back you go"

Seriously, why did you buy a ticket up there then? If you didn't want to be up high, get a ticket earlier, but then I guess you don't have your excuse to come have a moan about nothing much at all in here.

R.E your other points, it's still clearly weeks off total completion, it looked like more toilets etc still to open or be finished. 

 

[reddogkev]

Interesting to read your comments, and indeed the price is too expensive, without any shadow of a doubt.  But, worth remembering it was a gold game.

I'll be keen to see what the prices will be for the lower end of the scale (although highly unlikely it will be open for such a game).

I sat in the upper, 7 rows from the top, and absolutely loved the view of the stadium and the pitch (helps to have eye sight like a hawk I guess).  I always appreciate extra space around me, for size reasons, and had at least 6 empty seats around in all directions, so was able to stretch out and relax during the quieter moments of the game!

There is not a chance I would pay almost £40 to sit there again, so for me, it was a one off sample.  Back to the noisy Atyeo or the corner of the SS for me...

[AshtonGreat]

9 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

Interesting to read your comments, and indeed the price is too expensive, without any shadow of a doubt.  But, worth remembering it was a gold game.

I'll be keen to see what the prices will be for the lower end of the scale (although highly unlikely it will be open for such a game).

I sat in the upper, 7 rows from the top, and absolutely loved the view of the stadium and the pitch (helps to have eye sight like a hawk I guess).  I always appreciate extra space around me, for size reasons, and had at least 6 empty seats around in all directions, so was able to stretch out and relax during the quieter moments of the game!

There is not a chance I would pay almost £40 to sit there again, so for me, it was a one off sample.  Back to the noisy Atyeo or the corner of the SS for me...

Good comments, although I don't completely get this 'gold game' lark. Yes, it was Newcastle (and that was an attractive game to me), but the reality was that Newcastle were just another team, with very few recognisable names and not a lot of quality. So should it have been a premium price? Debatable

[reddogkev]

6 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

Good comments, although I don't completely get this 'gold game' lark. Yes, it was Newcastle (and that was an attractive game to me), but the reality was that Newcastle were just another team, with very few recognisable names and not a lot of quality. So should it have been a premium price? Debatable

I've often had a thought that you should be charged after the match, by being refunded dependent on the quality of the game (in theory if this was possible, which in reality it wouldn't be) on paper, before yesterday's game was played, I think the demand shows this was a 'gold' game.  But what I watched yesterday was dull, drab, devoid of massive entertainment, and lacked the sort of explosive Newcastle team that I expected to walk the Championship this season.

Didn't feel like I watched a gold standard game....

[AshtonGreat]

1 minute ago, reddogkev said:

I've often had a thought that you should be charged after the match, by being refunded dependent on the quality of the game (in theory if this was possible, which in reality it wouldn't be) on paper, before yesterday's game was played, I think the demand shows this was a 'gold' game.  But what I watched yesterday was dull, drab, devoid of massive entertainment, and lacked the sort of explosive Newcastle team that I expected to walk the Championship this season.

Didn't feel like I watched a gold standard game....

Same. It's interesting that they'll be charging the same for the Villa game. I imagine there will be a much lower crowd for that one

[Lanterne Rouge]

11 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

Good comments, although I don't completely get this 'gold game' lark. Yes, it was Newcastle (and that was an attractive game to me), but the reality was that Newcastle were just another team, with very few recognisable names and not a lot of quality. So should it have been a premium price? Debatable

It`s not just the quality of the opposition that determines it though, it`s the policing extras and stuff like that. I expect Millwall would be a gold game for that reason alone.

[reddogkev]

36 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Try the third ring at the San Siro. Looks like a subbuteo game.

I am sure, as with the SS, as they finish of the Lansdown it will prove a bit hit with fans. I am very impressed with the SS , and when all the concourse link up, for me, it makes AG a great facility, far better than many other new builds, that have nowhere near the quality of internal fit out. At least outside of the mega Premier top club builds that is. To think 2 years ago we used to squash into the Williams , no toilet facilities, dire food, impossible to get in, no space when sat down. 

Clearly many feel POTD pricing is high, and that needs a looking at, as it would be terrible to have the facility and the fans not in it. I know from friends who I go with, they now buy food and drinks at the stadium, whereas in the past, nothing ever was purchased. We really should be getting 20,000 at most games in the Championship, so the challenge is there to find the right balance between 25 and 38 pounds. 

Excellent points, and I agree whole-heartedly about getting the right figures for the tickets, without undermining the ST prices.

I'd posit that no general adult ticket should cost higher than £30, and the cheapest POTD should be around the £23 adult price - available in as many places as possible to ensure we shift as many tickets as we can.

[Marlborough Red]

There must be a large fan base  who are not able or reluctant, to buy tickets in advance. Not members , don't use a PC / I phone, and perhaps not having credit card. Hope the Club has POTD available this season for all matches that are not sold out and communicates this facility via the media well in advance. All ticket matches used to be the exception , seems today they have become the norm. Buying tickets from the Club ,either On Line or by telephone is often very difficult , Bristol; Sport should make it easier by bringing back POTD wherever possible.

[Xiled]

There's a difficult balance to strike for prices in the upper Lansdown. If tickets are made too cheap, supporters will want to be up there when there are still ample seats at lower levels. At that point the club incurs extra cost opening food/drink concessions, stewarding, cleaning toilets. And the atmosphere is diluted.

Too expensive (like yesterday) and the club will receive complaints that the experience doesn't warrant such high prices.

Not sure where that balance is.

Incidentally, I've sat within 8 rows of the highest seating at Old Trafford (long story). The view was appalling partly because of the roof design but also the sense of detachment. If this had been my experience of watching football as a kid (rather that standing in the East End on a wooden stool) then I would have not formed any attachment to the club I love. Very clear to me that how and where you watch the game from is actually extremely important.

[Ashtonboy]

2 hours ago, Marlborough Red said:

There must be a large fan base  who are not able or reluctant, to buy tickets in advance. Not members , don't use a PC / I phone, and perhaps not having credit card. Hope the Club has POTD available this season for all matches that are not sold out and communicates this facility via the media well in advance. All ticket matches used to be the exception , seems today they have become the norm. Buying tickets from the Club ,either On Line or by telephone is often very difficult , Bristol; Sport should make it easier by bringing back POTD wherever possible.

Only in Wiltshire mate, only in Wiltshire!

[Cider_boy]

8 hours ago, AshtonGreat said:

1. I loved the quick and easy turnstyle system, and the spacious inner concourses. There were no shortage of food and drink outlets (I've never seen so much booze served at a football match!).

 

2. I was disappointed with the toilet facilities. In the gents I went in, there were only two cubicles - woefully inadequate - and in one of those the flush was broken.

 

3. I commented last week that paying £38 for a seat in 'the gods' was expensive, to which another poster replied that it would be nothing like the gods at the theatre as the view would be fantastic. Well... It wasn't too dissimilar to the gods at the theatre because it's VERY high up, and trying to focus on players led to eye strain. You also lose much of the atmosphere and intensity you get when you're closer to the action

1. Turnstyles are good, quick and easy, and I love the number/choice of outlets, as long as the queuing is sorted, and we can have a reasonable number of tables to put a pint down on. . Would like to be able to go in and out through the turnstyles though, so you can go in before the game to buy something from those outlets, but still come out to the fan village area too.

2. Odd question, but are all toilets cubicles only - I'm sure the ones I've used were female toilets when I went to the rugby (and yes, they were definitely male toilets when I went in them). Have they deliberately left them all this way so they can just change the signs outside depending on the event the stadium is hosting?

3. Maybe the upper stand is more expensive for a while due to the novelty. Hopefully, once enough of us have tried it and decided lower stands are better, the price will drop and no one will be bothered if the club decide later on to open it at a lower price for POTD fans. If we get to this point it will probably suit everyone. I've been 3 rows from the back of the Millennium stadium (I know the Lansdown isn't that big), but there is a reason why those are the cheap seats!

 

Have I managed to post about toilets with no jokes about 'Johnson out'?!

 

[Guest]

Had a drink at the SS concourse, very crowded, but wandered around to the LS and there seemed to be more room.

Disappointed to see so many empty seats in the centre three blocks of the LS, but if they've been sold at a premium and aren't being used By the purchasers that's their problem I guess.

Overall I think the development could win awards (if there are any to be won), it's going to be up to date for a very long time.

Just to add thank god we aren't as far away from the action as all those West Ham fans.