The local news are now reporting that City are looking at options to spend £40m on the existing ground and bring it up to 26,000 capacity. This isn't saying that the Ashton Vale plan is dead, but it seems to be a sensible (and long overdue IMO) formal statement of intent as things take forever in this city. If the facilities at the Gate were brought up to scratch (Williams Stand and East End for starters) I'd be quite happy staying put, but £40m doesn't sound a lot to me, when you look at the ground now and take in all of the improvements that would be necessary to even make it half decent.
Looks like you're going to be ground sharing with the rugby boys wherever you are. http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Bris...-Ashton-Gate/story-18057895-detail/story.html
Our great gate is getting a makeover, I'd rather stay here than move anyway! http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Bris...Gate-stadium/story-18057799-detail/story.html And we get a say in it too! You reds!
With a new `state of the art` pitch also be implemented, I'm sure it won't affect the pitch to much which also means more money coming in..
Personally, I'm not in favour of ground sharing. Yes the extra money is ok but it wont do City any other favours other than putting SL's eggs in one basket. Look at teams who share grounds with rugby teams, and then look at the state of their pitches. Wigan, Watford etc, they are awful. I know that they've said that it will be special grass and all that, but if we have weather like we've had recently then no grass is going to survive being used when it's sodden. City have usually had a reasonably good playing surface over the last few years but that will probably change.
Ever since SL bough Bristol Rugby you knew they would end up playing on the same pitch as City. Its not ideal. Good money for the board but the ground staff will had their work cut out for them watching rugby being played on a wet winter night. They will have to stock up on the sand.
Wont go overboard about it. ground sharing works fine, norm abroad. Consultation fans have always said in surveys they do not want a bowl and bowls do not improve atmopshere. musuem clubs officials were in a certain pub last week checking out the memorbillia and the idea has been mentioned to them a few times. penny has dropped. combine pub and museum.
Swansea ground share and they play the nicest football in all four divisions, it can be done well Prefer the look of the rebuilt ashton gate, I believe the planning permission is in place for this didnt they apply for it when davidson was chairman may of been more recent even
ol yes, now thats what im talking about.................... stop flogging that horse, it looks dead Build on what we got, is what i say........spiritual home............
I want us to have the rugby. Wouldn't mind going down to watch then. Hate going to there grubby little **** hole. Horrible place in bristol too.
We get a brand new state of the art stadium, fitting for a major city like Bristol. You get a lick of paint and a load of egg chasers cutting up the pitch. Wonder if they'll retain the wooden seats. ;D
A new planning application would be needed. This would not be problematic as applications have been approved in the past, and limitations such as height restrictions known. Steve Lansdown was the Chairman. Interesting points here. There were no plans for pub or museum on the Ashton Vale site. Timescale of starting work being 2014/15 would leave little time for consultation if the decision regarding Ashton Vale [Oct] means plan B is pursued. Fans in survey's have been adamant they do not want a bowl.
We'll still get double your attendances whatever stadium you're in.. makes no difference what you do.
I'll ask the obvious question," Is this £40m going to be spent as a go between or in the advent of Ashton Vale Centre being turned down "?..... I think a ' Wedlock Pub',' City Heritage Museum ',' Multi Purpose Shopping Facility' and all the bits joined up with it's increased capacity is great. Just think we will have the top rugby and football teams in the South West visiting and we will be justifiably be a genuine Bristol Sports Centre and not just a leased Uni sports facility,all this less than a couple of miles from the Harbour side,SS Great Britain,The Zoo,Suspension Bridge,The Downs,Bristol University,The Museums,Cabot Circus,Central Theatres and Temple Meads,it's a natural fit and can only be to Bristol City FC's advantage.. A real Bristol only located sports partnership......
Overall a decent looking plan, but it's most definitely a Plan B. You should still be looking to build on AV if possible as that has far more potential to generate income for the club than redeveloping AG. Also, the two-year rebuild is incredibly ambitious - two years to build two brand new stands, renovate two others, demolish Hireite, build the associated infrastructure and still maintain a working stadium hosting League One football and rugby really is pushing it. I think you'd be lucky to have it done by 2018-19. However, the good news is that either way, Bristol will soon have the stadia that a city of its size should have.
'Swansea ground share and they play the nicest football' But we are BCFC and you can bet your life we'll fu*k it up and will play in a bloody quagmire from November to March. HATE HATE fu*king HATE the idea of egg chasers at A G.
