Ground developments

[Hempstead Gaz]

if, as seems more and more likely Scally is moving his sinking ship that is Gillingham into Ebbsfleet, do we think it is time to stop worrying about us relocating or groundsharing, but to redevelop Stonebridge Road.

It WOULD cost money to bring it up to an 8,000 capacity, but this wouls be cheaper than starting from scratch with a new stadium. Nor does anyone want to share a 25,000 statium with Gillingham. Massive risk + no atmosphere.

We require :

1 A brand new main stand - seating 2500 running the length of the river side.

2.Build the main road terrace back to the road and extend it the length of the pitch. and reroof it.

Resurface and reroof the Stonebridge Road end.

3. Some cover over the open terrace.

This should give the following capacity : 2500 seated + 1500 at each end + 2500 on main terrace = 8000.

If we don't do this we could be overtaken by events and Gillingham and lose what support we have built up.

Worth a debate? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/diskussion.gif" alt="" />

[Stu M]

But as it's on a lease, aren't we risking spending money on it and having the ground pulled from beneath our feet (quite literally) if our landlords get a better offer (albeit with 10 years' notice)?

[jc]

Quite right. It's all very well saying 'let's renovate the stadium', but a small thing called money often comes into play as well. And I suspect Football Foundation grants are unlikely to be forthcoming, given that we used a sizeable one of these a few years ago to sort out the pitch and re-terrace the Stonebridge Road side of the ground.

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

I heard a whisper the other night that the Chairman is dead keen on getting rid of the old main stand and replacing it with a full length job that will get rid of those redundant spaces at either end.

 

Now if this is true, it seems to knock on the head any thoughts of a ground share with Gillingham, and seems to confirm that the club appears to want to stay where it is.

 

I was under the impression that the terms of our lease are such that if it is terminated, then the owners are meant to provide a facility, at least on a par with what we already have. Can anyone confirm that?

[Jimmy]

I can't confirm it but I thought that was the deal too. Similar to Tonbridge Angels for example.

[David Holden]

They would have to provide us with a ground suitable for whichever level of football we are playing at the time.

 

All the more reason to ensure that we don't drop out of the conference.