SUFC: The Future How would you redevelop Roots Hall?

[Ex-SouthendUnitedEmployee]

With Justin Rees committing to keeping us at Roots Hall if he took over, I've been thinking of how best we would redevelop to make it a stadium fit for the future.

1 - East Stand and North Stand Re-development

While the East Stand holds the bulk of offices, catering, suites, changing rooms etc, the whole place is crumbling, and part of it was an inserted cabin! However, it is the only 'logical' stand that could be pulled backward into the car park to allow more depth in a rebuild, and potential to leave room for the pitch to move across and allow for a West Stand re-development further down the line.

Within the East Stand, you could then put in along the bottom a new Bar that could be accessed 7 days a week, alongside having a gym, which again gives the club further revenue outside of match days. A re-imagined hospitality area, which again if done correct could cater to private events.
Then would layer the offices and hospitality on the above levels. In terms of inside the ground, it would allow to create a concourse area, rather than the current 'walkway' , allowing much needed space for upgraded food / bar areas and even merchandise.

The North Stand... there's little room behind it, but it needs a lot of love - if it were to remain to the away fans, I'd two tier it like the south, to take away the acoustics for the away fans. (not really an issue in this league mind)


2 - Whole ground redevelopment

Without getting carried away, as our goal is merely to exists at present, but there is a lot of potential and space at RH to 'start again' on the land - The ground is currently close to Shakespeare Drive and Fairfax - but if you turned the pitch 90 degrees and put it into the middle of the plot of land - you have a lot more potential you could do with the stadium. A pipe dream of course, and I guess would prove more expensive than moving to Fossetts, but building a new stadium in the overall plot of land would be more palatable than moving to FF anyway. - it of course would mean a temporary groundshare.

However, it would allow for better road infrastructure to be put in place for access to the ground, increase available parking if planned right. You would use the outter lower areas of the ground to host bars, restaurants, a new club store, and your 7 day a week revenue areas.

There are so many areas of the Roots Hall Plot that are under used or gone to ruin, and designed correctly could really being a new 'community hub', that brings people to this area of Southend 7 days a week, and not just passing on the way to the high street. - Vic Avenue is now starting to have a high residential population again thanks to the flat conversions - so give these people an excuse to come on down to RH and spend their money and have somewhere they can go - alongside benefiting the local shops and pubs already in existence.


If you are thinking ... "I want to have what he's been drinking"... mines just a Fosters!

It's just frustrating me all these years saying RH is not viable for the club .... but land is land at the end of the day - what benefits Ron is building Flats on RH and FF... but that isn't for the benefit of the club.

 

[Goodwin]

A lot of good ideas here ,hopefully you will be able to feed these to the new owner if we are staying at roots Hall.

 

[Tommy2holes]

I'd tydy and improve north, west and South stands. The roofs and bars being refurbished. Id completely rebuild the east stand to accommodate about 6-8k fans and have corporate and non matchday income.

I'd seriously consider a large beer tent and music in the east car park on matchdays to boost revenue .

 

[LCBB72]

I remember 50 years ago manager Arthur Rowley that he would make the North Bank bigger as he said it played a big part in getting the team promoted .

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Knock down the North stand and part of the east and west and replace with a new one that fills in the corners

Open a temporary changing room and replace the rest of the east stand

Knock down the south stand and replace

and then finally, knock down the rest of the West stand and replace

Would take a few years of reduced capacity, but this seems the most doable and could leave us with a very modest stadium with 4 corners filled in

 

[leeblue]

In my mind I've redeveloped RH a million times.
Bulldoze east stand, you have the room to build a really nice stand there, corporate et Al.
Then I'd do the same with the North.
Then I'd take the roof orr the west and replace it.
Bosh added a few thousand on capacity.

 

[Smiffy]

It's tight. But I don't think rotating the pitch 90 degrees is going to give the space desired for a good sized money making main stand. Better to stay as is and re-develop to make a decent sized 2 tier main stand. Then subtly improve all other stands similar to Pompey. @Sherif H has already mentioned this in great detail somewhere.

A 7 days a week sports bar/restaurant that shows all the live games is a must.

 

[leeblue]

I have often thought as a money maker.....New East stand with residential element...bit like orient

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Sadly the whole ground needs knocking down and rebuilt stand by stand.
This should have been started years ago, but we were fobbed off with the promise of a new stadium elsewhere.
Let's hope we survive and get a chance to move or redevelop Roots Hall.

 

[Ex-SouthendUnitedEmployee]

It's tight. But I don't think rotating the pitch 90 degrees is going to give the space desired for a good sized money making main stand. Better to stay as is and re-develop.

In my mind it does haha.

I think the most realistic option is pulling the East Stand back and that stand is the money making operation, and then doing something with the north, that also connects it to the East as well, as capacity will be gained by filling seats into the corners. - It also leaves the option of shifting the pitch across so many yards, so there is potential of doing something with the West in the years to come.

So many options for RH, but what is built with my mind, and what is financially viable and costs are two very different things.

Either way, it's a nice distraction from current events.

 

[annie1954]

I was talking to guy ( blues fan ) he said his mate has been involved with the redevelopment of fratton park and said there is a great deal they could do at roots hall , if we was to stay there

 

[Holy Joe]

Is there demand for a 7 day a week bar at Roots Hall - pubs have been closing in that area for years. At FF I could see demand as the new properties would need something - but RH, I'm not sure

 

[Ex-SouthendUnitedEmployee]

I was talking to guy ( blues fan ) he said his mate has been involved with the redevelopment of fratton park and said there is a great deal they could do at roots hall , if we was to stay there

so much can be done Annie - i've seen the Fratton Park redevelopment and they've done a cracking job to try and modernise areas without harming the character of the ground as well.

For me, RH will always have Character, but it doesn't need to come with looking like a stadium ready to collapse.

 

[Ex-SouthendUnitedEmployee]

I'd like the think that once Vic Avenue is all finished and pretty much residential, that Marketing done right can bring people down - especially as a 'Sports Bar'... Bar 1906 rather than a pub, serve food etc. - Of course you don't want to harm the Blue Boar or Spread etc, you have to put a futuristic hat on really, rather than thinking of the stadium and area as it is now.

Take a look at what Macclesfield have done:

https://bar-27.com/

https://risefitnessclubs.co.uk/macclesfield/

Both these facilities are inside the stadium, and Mose Rose is a fraction of the size of RH.

Once the Top Part of Vic Avenue is finished, I hope they start taking a look at the bit from St. Mary's down to Fairfax and see how bits can be improved, as it looks so run down (partly due to the house the club owns and the state the club shop has been left to look run down) + the ex-shops the club CPO on.

RH can be a multi-venue, work with outside venders who may want to rent a space etc - I wouldn't want it, but i'm sure it's Derby County who have a Greggs on the outside of their stadium!

 

[Shrimper]

Pull the East back a bit and it gives you lots of scope

 

[Wingnut]

i would do what birmingham done ,main stand go round to the end of the northbank
do away with the south stand and just have one tier like what orient done at their home end complete new roof on west do away with those pillers.
make the rear wider so people can move better and so we dont get run over by wheel chairs

 

[WestStandBlue]

Starting point and easy win, almost instant impact…tidy up the car park area and reduced capacity to make room for a beer tent and pre match entertainment area (already planned also by JR if successful with purchase)

 

[annie1954]

so much can be done Annie - i've seen the Fratton Park redevelopment and they've done a cracking job to try and modernise areas without harming the character of the ground as well.

For me, RH will always have Character, but it doesn't need to come with looking like a stadium ready to collapse.

Was looking behind the scenes when we played Bromley what they have done with their small ground is fantastic it makes local people want to go to football for a full afternoon or evening out so plenty could be done at roots hall to bring in more income just need the right people running things

 

[Stan33]

With Justin Rees committing to keeping us at Roots Hall if he took over, I've been thinking of how best we would redevelop to make it a stadium fit for the future.

1 - East Stand and North Stand Re-development

While the East Stand holds the bulk of offices, catering, suites, changing rooms etc, the whole place is crumbling, and part of it was an inserted cabin! However, it is the only 'logical' stand that could be pulled backward into the car park to allow more depth in a rebuild, and potential to leave room for the pitch to move across and allow for a West Stand re-development further down the line.

Within the East Stand, you could then put in along the bottom a new Bar that could be accessed 7 days a week, alongside having a gym, which again gives the club further revenue outside of match days. A re-imagined hospitality area, which again if done correct could cater to private events.
Then would layer the offices and hospitality on the above levels. In terms of inside the ground, it would allow to create a concourse area, rather than the current 'walkway' , allowing much needed space for upgraded food / bar areas and even merchandise.

The North Stand... there's little room behind it, but it needs a lot of love - if it were to remain to the away fans, I'd two tier it like the south, to take away the acoustics for the away fans. (not really an issue in this league mind)


2 - Whole ground redevelopment

Without getting carried away, as our goal is merely to exists at present, but there is a lot of potential and space at RH to 'start again' on the land - The ground is currently close to Shakespeare Drive and Fairfax - but if you turned the pitch 90 degrees and put it into the middle of the plot of land - you have a lot more potential you could do with the stadium. A pipe dream of course, and I guess would prove more expensive than moving to Fossetts, but building a new stadium in the overall plot of land would be more palatable than moving to FF anyway. - it of course would mean a temporary groundshare.

However, it would allow for better road infrastructure to be put in place for access to the ground, increase available parking if planned right. You would use the outter lower areas of the ground to host bars, restaurants, a new club store, and your 7 day a week revenue areas.

There are so many areas of the Roots Hall Plot that are under used or gone to ruin, and designed correctly could really being a new 'community hub', that brings people to this area of Southend 7 days a week, and not just passing on the way to the high street. - Vic Avenue is now starting to have a high residential population again thanks to the flat conversions - so give these people an excuse to come on down to RH and spend their money and have somewhere they can go - alongside benefiting the local shops and pubs already in existence.


If you are thinking ... "I want to have what he's been drinking"... mines just a Fosters!

It's just frustrating me all these years saying RH is not viable for the club .... but land is land at the end of the day - what benefits Ron is building Flats on RH and FF... but that isn't for the benefit of the club.

I’m staggered u have all those good idea’s drinking Fosters !

 

[tommy tucker]

So many clubs have redevloprd there grounds .Shut a stand down ie the west stand pull it down And build a new stand with maybe a bar .And a decent food outlet .Then move on to the the east The south stand just needs up gradeing .But all that work will take some years .As its said rome wasnt built in a day .