That's not our problem. If the council allows it the onus is not on the developer (the club) or its supporters. I'm all for respecting my elders, but why do they deserve respect in this instance? I appreciate that the stadium is to be built near their home but it's gotta be built near someones home, and there simply isn't anywhere else it can go unless the club relocates out of Bristol. Given the tactics that have been employed to maintain their legal battle, including the defamation of Bristol City fans through the media I have every right to call them idiots. Historically, Bristol has struggled to gain any kind of investment and despite the HUGE encatchment area that is the South West no one seems interested because we (City and Rovers) have poor facilities and a struggling fan base. The stadium is an investment as a club and an investment for Lansdown. The council couldn't give a **** about the fans and losing their votes. They see this as a way to pour outside investment into the area and although I don't buy the argument that it'll instantly create jobs like the club and council has stated over time it will build the Bristol City fan base, provide the means for more businesses to trade in Bristol and will provide Lansdown with the opportunity to sell the club to another financer, ideally with a tidy profit in there for him.
The problem with Ashton Gate is the limited potential for non-matchday revenue. City need to utilize the ground every day of the week for conferences, meetings etc. to generate additional revenue. Matchdays need to see significant use of corporate boxes, much as the average fan dislikes this. The access to AG is just not good enough to support what we want to achieve and parking was always a nightmare. The AV site gives us so much more flexibility as well as nice new facilities that will attract the non matchday revenue we need. We ran into problems when we built the last new stand - it was supposed to be 2 tier and then was scaled back as the houses complained that it's proposed height would block their natural light. To progress we need to move IMO.
One of these people is the mother of a friend she is old and frail and worried by what is happening. Calling people in their eighties idiots is not respect. People who do not live in the area should stop and think how city look in all of this and in particular fans because some City fans have painted the club in a dreadful light themslves and their attitude stinks.
I reckon that bloke who turns up on the news every so often is great. Maybe that is how they have got Long Ashton parish Council to support and help financially. First up take the two most yokel peoples accents you could think of. Add them together and hey presto you have the most West Country sounding human being in history. Even peepaw who've lived here fer yonks casn't understand him sno.
You might want to define who "us" and "we" really are. There is an assumption that nice corporate boxes and non matchday revenue are all. It is not evident yet where all the monies created by a new stadium will go, and if BCFC will be owners, tenants and in control of their destiny post Lansdown. What is evident to the savvy, and those who attend away games frequently at new stadia is that a move will have a massive impact on the identity of the club, and experience of fans. A perception of supposed progress is that a stadium move is not always the brave new world it is cracked up to be. A day out as a Coventry fan at the Ricoh, or a fan at the Keepmoat or Riverside I would have thought must be dispiriting enough to make a life long fan question if they want to continue with their support. The impact of progress really can be that far reaching.
Cliftonville, you have a point about new stadia you selected but on the other hand; St Mary's - Southampton Emirates - Arsenal Ethiad - Man City Liberty - Swansea C Stadium of Light - Sunderland Walkers (or whatever it's called now) - Leicester Amex - Brighton Cardiff City Riverside - Middlesboro Britannia - Stoke C Pride Park - Derby Reebok - Bolton (yes I know they came down but had seven or eight good years before that) DW - Wigan Majedski - Reading KC - Hull C McAlpine (?) - Huddersfield A significant proportion of these clubs have had more success in the last ten years with increased attendances/Premier etc than we have in the same period. Eight of the current Premier and eight Championship are in new stadiums. It does not always guarantee success but it has always given an initial boost to the clubs in attendances and certainly increases non football revenues. I go to watch City at Ashton Gate because I'm a lifelong City fan. I've populated all the four sides of the ground over the past 63 years. But I now use the Atyeo which is now TWENTY years old. Why? Because I can get a hot drink and have a pee at half time without climbing all the way down and back up the Dolman, or sitting behind a pillar in the Williams or sitting on a seat with no back in the Covered End. The year is 2012. Either rebuild or move but let's get on with it without any more delay.
City have the space around the gate already given the large car parks and that they have not given the lease to hire rite? To use their on site facilities anymore. The space is quite large and why sainsburys want to build a megamarket there. SL would be better knocking down the stadium and rebuilding (and sueing the council over the ashton vale site to get his money back over false promises). Ive said before that if they build a stadium similar to the amsterdam areana with the roof closed the stadium would also solves bristol issue of having a concert areana as a 40k stadium could put on some big concerts which would attract big names. At the moment they are concidering building a 15k music hall next to temple meads. 15k is tiny compared to other places in london, birmingham and sheffield which currently get all tge big names. In Bristol it appears to u get nothing or they will give u something that isnt fit for purpose
Cidered abroad you would need to include a lot more specifics to evidence base your post. Fans seem to have a vision of Ashton Vale being being some sort of panacea and Bristol City will stride forward triumphant, the above is no recommendation. Not being rude, but you have picked some very very poor examples. Stoke nearly went out of business within seasons of moving into the Brittannia and experienced a drop in attendances, Leicester and Southampton nearly imploded indeed nearly all of the examples make fiancial losses, losses there even with the EPL'S millions, along with all these non football revenues which make Bristol City's look miniscule, some have only been kept in business because of the largesse of their chairmen, Middlesbrough losses [some] were written off by Chairman Steve Gibson not turned into equity like Bristol City's, South Wales Franchise are a basket case. I do not need more than a cursory read to see the theme present is clubs go forwards, sideways and backwards just the same as they do in re-developed stadia. I posted earlier that this move is not about increasing attendances, but about increasing building based assets e.g. hotels etc. Who will own these assets is unclear, who will be the financial benficaries unclear again. Given that fotball for me is not about non football revenues, and that it is not a lucid fact that BCFC will be experiencing an increase in income similar to rain and Noahs ark, I hope the club stays at Ashton Gate within its community, I have forty years virtual constant support there mate doubt I would bother at some of the underwhelming examples of half empty unloved retail parks already mentioned.
Christ mate the council have sold land to City to help get the stadium off the ground like the Winterstoke car park and nobody else can buy it or outbid City. They have also paid for mediation and a world cup bid to help out and granted several planning permissions. Think they also paid for legal costs for proceedings v local people which is a bit ironic. Hirerite building is owned by City and is used for storage and houses the Community trust offices. The Amsterdam arena cost hundreds of millions!! Planning permission would have to re-submitted also to get it even if it was affordable.
A new stadium or even a rebuilt one will not guarantee any success on the pitch for City. But at least it will attract new supporters (customers as they are known today) simply because it will offer everyone inside the stadium a decent seat and refreshment / toilet facilities and somewhere to park the car or alternatively, and this is council responsibility that seems sadly lacking in Bristol, a modern efficient and fairly priced public transport system. If we do not do anything, we will never be able to complete on a level basis even with clubs like Cardiff, Leicester, Wolves and many others in our league. Let alone if the miracle happened and we went up. Half of Ashton Gate - Wedlock and Williams - was built over 60 years ago when football fans were happy to be herded on big banks of terracing and tiny cramped wooden seating. Move on or end up with no hope of any real success.
As heartless as this sounds, this is one case in hundreds for the area, and is no basis to stop development on a land that Lansdown owns. As I said before, why do they deserve respect in this instance? Their age doesn't give them a right over land that isn't theirs. They're being stubborn because they don't think that it should be built on their doorstep. That is somewhat understandable, except that in this instance they have already cost the taxpayer £250k for no benefit, and their moves will stop ALL future development in the area for good. It's such a no-brainer to develop on the land that the council has come out fully in support of the club. The club can develop on the land as they own it, so I think we should just start and if they want a town green they can knock the stadium and facilities down themselves. Bullshit. Most Bristol residents are in favour of this stadium because they are sick to death of Bristol being a back-water ****hole with no arena, no decent stadium and nothing going for it. I'd love the stadium decision to go up to a vote by the people of Bristol.
If it came down to a vote most in Bristol would not give a monkies and in BS3 & long ashton??? Does not seem to be that much support there and a lot against. Thousands in the area have voted for pro green belt councillors. you are right they do not want any development in the area cant see why people have not got that. that is why long ashton parish council are involved because it will affect a lot of people. Living there gives people a right to a view and respect because it is them it will affect and they have done nothing wrong unless you really think all the evidence given by locals is a big conspiracy. the law will take its course eventually and it is the council who have ****ed things up and wasted money as they didnt deal with things correctly and couldnt submit paper work properly. Having travelled to fifty countries and counting I am of the opinion that Bristol is great city and the many peope I have taken around particularly from the netherlands agree. Proud to be living here.
I must live in a different Bristol because everytime I go to an away game I see towns and Cities I would never live in.
Having lived in the midlands I feel qualified to state that Birmingham, Coventry, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Wolverhampton did not make me feel I was living in backwater ****hole. I think Bristol in many respects from the beauty of its Georgian architecture to its urban arts scene is an exceptional place to live. As a parent I would not dream of taking my son away from here.
