Ground Grading Questions

[JimGNFC]

I'm sure this will have Dave pulling his hair out! But can anyone provide any further details about the proposed ground developments. Here are my queries:

 

1. Increase capacity to 6,000 to include 1,000 seats under cover:

 

- Is the plan to extend the Main Seated stand to accommodate an

extra 400 seats? At present it holds 600 seats. As I understand it

Wooden Stands are permitted in the Football League providing

certain safety criteria can be met. Football League clubs such as

Leyton Orient still has a Wooden Stand I believe!

 

Or is the club hoping to construct a brick based Main stand if the

club receives the maximum grant it is entitled to (£400,000)?

 

Out of pure interest, does anyone know how much a purpose built

1000-seater stand would cost these days?

 

2. Have permanent segregation facilities in place:

 

- So the club sticks a mobile burger bar at the Swanscombe end,

charges away fans a couple of quid extra for standing on the open

terracing, where they can't be heard.

 

If this fails to dampen their spirits the rain should when it pours

and stewards would be on-hand to enforce the permanent

segregation. All home matches would therefore be segregated.

 

Is this what is meant by "permanent segregation?"

 

Or will the Club have to fence the "Away" end off, turning Fortress

Stonebridge Road into Alcatraz?

 

P.S. When we entertain Barnet can we ensure any mobile burger

bar is clearly marked Tea bar and then not sell Tea!

 

3. Look at having computerised turnstiles (not a requirement but

considered best practice):

 

- This might sound great but what happens when the computers

break down. Trust me, computers are inherently evil - I work with

them.

 

Besides if computerised turnstiles are introduced wouldn't the fine

art of gate prediction at the Fleet be lost forever? (Now, What

was that official figure for the Canvey Island match last season?!)

 

4. Provision of separate medical treatment room for players and

separate first aid room for spectators:

 

- Does the Club currently have a first aid room for spectators? I've

seen the Ambulance Services called upon for treating spectators

on rare occasions but this has always been outside in the open.

 

5. Improvement of press facilities:

 

- I guess this is tied in with whatever is planned for the Main

Seated Stand.

 

6. Directors and other users of Centre Stand not to use tunnel to

obtain access to main stand. This area must be solely for use of

players and officials:

 

- Fair enough - this shouldn't be too difficult to comply with.

 

7. A ground control room and CCTV facilities must be installed

before the start of the club's first season in the League (all other

requirements to be carried out by 1 April 2003):

 

- Now, where would this go? Barnet had a rather smart looking

building on the opposite side to where the Fleet Fans were. I

assume this doubles up as a hospitality suite/CCTV

Surveillance building? It would be nice to have something like this

in the ground.

 

8. As improve ground look to improve disabled facilities:

 

- I'm no expert in these matters but simply trying to get into the

ground with a wheelchair at the front of the ground would require

the possession of a heavy Goods Licence! Especially considering

the general roadwork?s and uneven surfaces approaching the main

gates.

 

 

To achieve the capacity increase we will have to repair the terracing at the Stonebridge Hill end of the ground and install new crash barriers similar to those at the side of the ground.

 

The Directors are confident that all of the work can be completed by the deadline.

 

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Does the Club therefore have an idea of how much it would cost to get the ground up to Football League standards? And would any Football trust grant be enough to cover the costs? (Assuming the Club received the maximum grant it is entitled too). If not, how does the club plan to raise the shortfall? Some more info please . . .

 

 

[Alan ( GNFC )]

Keep calm Jim , plans are afoot .

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[David Holden]

I'm sure that all this information will be made available as and when the Club see fit.

 

Personally, I'm quite happy to let other people worry about these things and get on with enjoying the football.

[Jimmy]

That wasn't me by the way....

That 'nice building' at Barnet was a bar by the way, I went in it, it was empty.

[David Holden]

No it wasn't I was in there.