Everyone Glad We Stayed @thegate?

[eardun]

On 18/03/2023 at 22:47, pillred said:

Yes but is that a good reason for staying put? surely you can see AG has it has it's limitations, nearly all teams that have aspiration have at some point  moved from their spiritual home or to better facilities with a larger capacity, those lucky enough to have grounds that had both are lucky, we needed to show we had aspiration Steve Lansdown tried with his AV move but it failed because local politics triumphed over what would have been good for the club and probably the local area, I know what you mean but if we were ever going to challenge the so called big boys we needed to at least try to give it a go. I quote isn't it better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all?

I was just answering a specific Q re my original post. My original post was the below. So by no means a good reason for staying put, but just my personal positives given AV was not possible.

‘I was also excited about AV but ultimately I’m quite happy we are still at our traditional home, with memories back to the 1970s and the redevelopment is first class.’

 

[BS30 City]

Does anyone know when the sporting quarter is due to start?!

 

I saw Man City’s new plans which include a covered fan zone! Would be great if we could either utilise the new basketball venue with seats and tables so people can relax with drinks and foo during match days! I guess marina dolman way could be covered with glass walkway between the gate and the basketball area!

 

 

 

[AppyDAZE]

So much history on that pitch, and it is in exactly the same place as it's always been. Hasn't been moved at all. I love that and the fact that our stadium is still a new one with all the good stuff that goes with that.

Opposition fans, commentators and pundits all seem to like it. That's fine by me.

Ashton Gate forever!

Edited April 19, 2023 by AppyDAZE

[REDOXO]

I am still hugely disappointed that Ashton Vale was kaiboshed. The blank sleight that would allowed for from a myriad of perspectives would have been so much better. The idea Bristol Sport now have to shrink wrap Stuff around the space available plus a stand that is clearly out of keeping with the rest of the ground gets on my wick and I’m sure it did SLs. 
 

There is another current thread about unfair subsidies being appropriated by Wrexham. In Wrexham case they are rightly wanting to stage international games in possibly multiple sports and thus can gain a subsidy from the Welsh/national government. Ashton Vale could have had substantial benefit and may well have gotten a subsidy for similar reasons for the West of England. 
 

I asked in the other thread did Bristol Sport gain any subsidy for the redevelopment of the Gate. I am interested to know!? 

I on the other hand am shocked at the amount of Government subsidies that are available for a multitude of things and the ease at which the money is eventually written off over a period. It is a bit nuts!

 

 

2 minutes ago, AppyDAZE said:

So much history on that pitch, and it is in exactly the same place as it's always been. Hasn't been moved at all. I love that and the fact that our stadium is still a new one with all the good stuff that goes with that.

Opposition fans, commentators and pundits all seem to like it. That's fine by me.

Ashton Gate forever!

Yes opponents like it. That’s been a given for a long time now!  

[phantom]

1 hour ago, BS30 City said:

Does anyone know when the sporting quarter is due to start?!

 

I saw Man City’s new plans which include a covered fan zone! Would be great if we could either utilise the new basketball venue with seats and tables so people can relax with drinks and foo during match days! I guess marina dolman way could be covered with glass walkway between the gate and the basketball area!

 

 

 

I'm sure I heard that final planning permission was still to be obtained 

[miketh2nd]

27 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

I am still hugely disappointed that Ashton Vale was kaiboshed. The blank sleight that would allowed for from a myriad of perspectives would have been so much better. The idea Bristol Sport now have to shrink wrap Stuff around the space available plus a stand that is clearly out of keeping with the rest of the ground gets on my wick and I’m sure it did SLs. 
 

There is another current thread about unfair subsidies being appropriated by Wrexham. In Wrexham case they are rightly wanting to stage international games in possibly multiple sports and thus can gain a subsidy from the Welsh/national government. Ashton Vale could have had substantial benefit and may well have gotten a subsidy for similar reasons for the West of England. 
 

I asked in the other thread did Bristol Sport gain any subsidy for the redevelopment of the Gate. I am interested to know!? 

I on the other hand am shocked at the amount of Government subsidies that are available for a multitude of things and the ease at which the money is eventually written off over a period. It is a bit nuts!

 

 

Yes opponents like it. That’s been a given for a long time now!  

I think we would of got subsidy if we got the world cup but for the temporary extending of the ground for more seats for the world Cup? My memory could be wrong... 

I love that its still within walking distance of the centre and the nostalgia of  having the same walk and local pubs  etc.. 

[pongo88]

On 17/03/2023 at 17:06, Ska Junkie said:

Interesting when you consider the Dolman will have to be replaced at some point (another Lansdown stand?) plus the Atyeo just looks out of place. How much will that cost for 34000 (?) capacity?

I love the Gate, it's 'home' but we would have survived at the Vale and it would have been 'home' by now.

With the current footprint of the ground it would be impossible to build a Dolman replacement that had increased capacity. As a stand gets higher it also gets a greater depth. As there’s only a walkway of 3-4 meters behind the Dolman there’s not much room for expansion. Also, strange as it may seem, a Dolman replacement would probably mean a reduction in capacity as it would have modern legroom, similar to the Lansdown. More legroom = less rows of seats. The only possibility would be the council deciding to demolish the flats behind the Dolman and City buying some of the land. Probably unlikely in the near future 

[W-S-M Seagull]

1 hour ago, AppyDAZE said:

So much history on that pitch, and it is in exactly the same place as it's always been. Hasn't been moved at all. I love that and the fact that our stadium is still a new one with all the good stuff that goes with that.

Opposition fans, commentators and pundits all seem to like it. That's fine by me.

Ashton Gate forever!

It was shifted a couple of metres towards the Lansdown during the redevelopment. The Atyeo goal is now in a different position to previously. 

[Open End Numb Legs]

My memory is not brilliant but isn't there a history of clubs having a new ground built and losing, literally, their form on the pitch and getting relegated or similar afterwards?

Sunderland, Boro, Derby, Cardiff, Bolton, Coventry....

Sure someone could do a better job of this than me, just my thoughts.

[ralphindevon]

2 hours ago, Open End Numb Legs said:

My memory is not brilliant but isn't there a history of clubs having a new ground built and losing, literally, their form on the pitch and getting relegated or similar afterwards?

Sunderland, Boro, Derby, Cardiff, Bolton, Coventry....

Sure someone could do a better job of this than me, just my thoughts.

Stoke we’re relegated in their first season at the Brittania stadium, now the Bet 365 stadium

[Bristol Rob]

On 17/03/2023 at 16:34, downendcity said:

Back in the 70s, at work we had an application from a couple who gave their address as Southmead Road, Henleaze, Westbury-On-Trym!

I don't live far from a camp site, some people are deluded enough to call it a stadium!

[LondonBristolian]

I’ve mixed views. On the one hand, I do like the stadium development and the sense of history that comes from being in the same stadium since early in our history but, on the other, it feels a missed opportunity for Bristol as a city and it is depressing that we (i.e the city, not the club) struggle to get major infrastructure projects agreed and completed.

[Son of Fred]

On 17/03/2023 at 20:16, Red Shadow said:

My birth certificate says I was born at Southmead Hospital, Westbury-on - Trym. That was in 1959 though. Has the boundary changed since then?

We were talking about this at the factory the other day, that Southmead Hospital is addressed Southmead Rd, Westbury -on - Trym???

I dunno!

[AppyDAZE]

18 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

It was shifted a couple of metres towards the Lansdown during the redevelopment. The Atyeo goal is now in a different position to previously. 

Well, the Dolman hasn't moved, so it can't be very noticeable :laugh: 

[elhombrecito]

9 minutes ago, AppyDAZE said:

Well, the Dolman hasn't moved, so it can't be very noticeable

It has, in a way. The bottom section sticks out a lot further than the old bottom section did.

[Red Shadow]

6 hours ago, AppyDAZE said:

Well, the Dolman hasn't moved, so it can't be very noticeable

From my old seat in the Dolman it was noticeable that the touchline was further away and I could see more of the cinder track after it had been moved.

[Lanterne Rouge]

On 19/04/2023 at 18:06, pongo88 said:

. The only possibility would be the council deciding to demolish the flats behind the Dolman and City buying some of the land. Probably unlikely in the near future 

I did wonder once whether SL could have done some sort of exchange deal - he gets the flats and gives the Council land for new housing at AV. That was when the flats were looking in a shocking state mind but they seem to have had a lot of money spent on them over the last ten years or so. I presume all the asbestos and other nasty stuff in them has been removed now too.

The other problem was, is the AV land within BCC`s boundary or is it in North Somerset?

[elhombrecito]

35 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

I did wonder once whether SL could have done some sort of exchange deal - he gets the flats and gives the Council land for new housing at AV. That was when the flats were looking in a shocking state mind but they seem to have had a lot of money spent on them over the last ten years or so. I presume all the asbestos and other nasty stuff in them has been removed now too.

The other problem was, is the AV land within BCC`s boundary or is it in North Somerset?

Pretty sure it was in Bristol, but access was in NS.

[Galley is our king]

Bet the residents of Ashton Vale now wish they had supported it considering they have just lost their only bus.

Would have been brilliant public transport links for them had the new stadium been built.

Ah well, never mind eh? 

[The Bard]

On 19/04/2023 at 18:06, pongo88 said:

With the current footprint of the ground it would be impossible to build a Dolman replacement that had increased capacity. As a stand gets higher it also gets a greater depth. As there’s only a walkway of 3-4 meters behind the Dolman there’s not much room for expansion. Also, strange as it may seem, a Dolman replacement would probably mean a reduction in capacity as it would have modern legroom, similar to the Lansdown. More legroom = less rows of seats. The only possibility would be the council deciding to demolish the flats behind the Dolman and City buying some of the land. Probably unlikely in the near future 

Not to mention moving 180+ households of people over 50 years old elsewhere which given there are 18,000 people on the housing list in Bristol at the moment is not going to happen.

[Oh Louie louie]

Tbh, at the end of Ashton vale, in the bungalows, many people are disabled or hard of sight, where I live, we had a mob of Thirty on the street protesting, the other day, we Will not go quietly on this

[The Bard]

13 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

I did wonder once whether SL could have done some sort of exchange deal - he gets the flats and gives the Council land for new housing at AV. That was when the flats were looking in a shocking state mind but they seem to have had a lot of money spent on them over the last ten years or so. I presume all the asbestos and other nasty stuff in them has been removed now too.

The other problem was, is the AV land within BCC`s boundary or is it in North Somerset?

It's not Lego is it?

People live in those flats. Elderly people who have lived there for years some at least 50 years. 

Sorry Agnes, we know you've only got a year left but you have to move now to somewhere you don't know. Why do you ask? Well, because football fans are fatter than they were in the old days so need a bigger stadium.

[Lanterne Rouge]

26 minutes ago, The Bard said:

It's not Lego is it?

People live in those flats. Elderly people who have lived there for years some at least 50 years. 

Sorry Agnes, we know you've only got a year left but you have to move now to somewhere you don't know. Why do you ask? Well, because football fans are fatter than they were in the old days so need a bigger stadium.

My point was that back before the council spent a lot of money on the flats (rightly so IMO) they were in a shocking state and BCC were making noises about them coming to the end of their usable life and and may need to be demolished so there MAY have been an option back then to have opened negotiations. It might have been a viable option that suited both parties and, crucially, the tenants as, at the time, they were living in damp, cold flats that were riddled with asbestos. Fair play to BCC for dealing with the problems - the flats look lovely now.