Blundell Park

Quoted from Marinerdeano

Continuing my exploration for the existing footprint for a new Main Stand without need to purchase any properties, it looks like there is about 15m depth to play with, which is not too dissimilar to the most modern single tier stand at Sincil Bank and that holds 5,700.  This is looking at Google Maps. Even a 5,000 seat Main Stand would give us 2,500 extra seats and a capacity of around 11,000.

All of which is common sense and perhaps a (best) way forward in the future.

The only major change I have seen in the structure of the ground is the Barrett stand being replaced with the Findus, and that is in over 60 years so it's not too much to hope for a new Main stand, if for the foreseeable future we need to stay at BP is it?

Quoted from rancido

But what solution is possible?  Posters often mention Park and Ride but that would hardly be practical for a yearly use of 23 approx occasions a year and I can't see any other practical application for such a scheme. It might be possible to incorporate such a scheme using a town centre car park in conjunction with Stagecoach but that would still lead to increased traffic problems in the town. I don't see any available sites close to the ground that could be used for car parking and again you also encounter under useage on days other than match days.

Park and ride could work but it’s not if it’s just for the football, it would get regular use in the summer if it continued on to the seafront.

Where I live the hospital has its own park and ride, it’s free for staff and 50p for patients. It’s really well used as parking at the hospital is a nightmare.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

All of which is common sense and perhaps a (best) way forward in the future.

The only major change I have seen in the structure of the ground is the Barrett stand being replaced with the Findus, and that is in over 60 years so it's not too much to hope for a new Main stand, if for the foreseeable future we need to stay at BP is it?

The pre-Fenty era architectural study came up with a 12,500 capacity I recall and the conclusion at the time was we were better moving to a new circa 14k stadium with potential to expand to 20k. I also seem to recall that there was talk of a 20k stadium minimum size for the Premiership at the time.

Since then we’ve had big construction cost inflation accompanied by sustainability and other building regs changes. With the funding side we’ve had the decimation of the potential for cross-subsidy from retail/commercial. Cross-subsidy, such as exists now is from residential. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work with NE Lincs values. Also has ticket revenue as a proportion of football club turnover fallen with the big increase in broadcast rights income - I expect so? If so that’s led to the likes of Bournemouth/ Luton being better able to compete.

All points to a stay put strategy unless something changes with the public sector. Lack of corporate / hospitality places is still a big issue for us though IMO.

Quoted from Marinerdan

Park and ride could work but it’s not if it’s just for the football, it would get regular use in the summer if it continued on to the seafront.

Where I live the hospital has its own park and ride, it’s free for staff and 50p for patients. It’s really well used as parking at the hospital is a nightmare.

But is it subsidised and if so, by who?

Quoted from mariner91

True. I remember reading about the difficulties Liverpool had when they wanted to extend the Main Stand. They then let the area fall in to disrepair to try and force the remaining residents out (allegedly) which is really not very ethical and I doubt very B-corp.

Probably paid some scallies to smash the windows now and again as well...

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

The pre-Fenty era architectural study came up with a 12,500 capacity I recall and the conclusion at the time was we were better moving to a new circa 14k stadium with potential to expand to 20k. I also seem to recall that there was talk of a 20k stadium minimum size for the Premiership at the time.

Since then we’ve had big construction cost inflation accompanied by sustainability and other building regs changes. With the funding side we’ve had the decimation of the potential for cross-subsidy from retail/commercial. Cross-subsidy, such as exists now is from residential. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work with NE Lincs values. Also has ticket revenue as a proportion of football club turnover fallen with the big increase in broadcast rights income - I expect so? If so that’s led to the likes of Bournemouth/ Luton being better able to compete.

All points to a stay put strategy unless something changes with the public sector. Lack of corporate / hospitality places is still a big issue for us though IMO.

Thats the way it is looking.

Not everything has to be at BP though does it?

Who knows what plans might be afoot to incorporate something at the new training complex if it comes off.

If a new Main stand is built would it free up space in the Findus rooms for more commercial activity? I'm sure they are thinking everything through as we speak!

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

About £2.5m (21 houses @ £120k)

Out of interest, wasn’t the logic behind building the Findus stand the way they did was to allow pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

Did they really do that without having options to purchase the houses behind the Main Stand? If so it was a crazy thing to do. It means we are stuck with a stand half as long as it could be. We could have had an extra two or three thousand seats if they had built it full length.

Or am I missing something?

Quoted from RonMariner

Out of interest, wasn’t the logic behind building the Findus stand the way they did was to allow pitch to be rotated 90 degrees?

Did they really do that without having options to purchase the houses behind the Main Stand? If so it was a crazy thing to do. It means we are stuck with a stand half as long as it could be. We could have had an extra two or three thousand seats if they had built it full length.

Or am I missing something?

What you are missing is that taking out the open corners to build the full length would have almost cost double for a marginal, if any, increase in capacity. Even with a small terrace in front like the pre all seater Findus. Don’t forgot that pre-Hillsborough terrace capacities per sq metre of space were much higher. The Clee and Imp corners probably had a capacity of 4k+

There was never any plans to rotate the pitch just someone on the fishy started a rumour.

The reason it does not run the full length was due to the cost it would have nearly double in price plus there might have planning permission problems at either end as the stand would be very close to the houses there.

Quoted from ginnywings

The Main Stand doesn't even go back to the boundary of the ground. There is space at the back for more rows of seats and with a cantilever roof, I doubt it would be any higher than the pitched roof already there, plus the highest part of the roof would be at the front, further away than it is now from the houses.

There is also the empty corner up to the Pontoon, so plenty of scope for a clever design if the owners wanted to go down this route. The stand could also house any number of different facilities.

Quite right. The Main Stand is  (looking from the Findus) is 2/3 to the Right and 1/3 to the Left. so some scope there. About time the changing rooms were updated as they remind me of the outside toilets and changing rooms of my old school all those years ago. 3rd world.  
Also people who sit on the back row (usually not many as they come forward to use up empty places) will be able to see the ball when its kicked 8 feet above the ground.