New ground update?

[Pak66]

In some respects not surprising given the saga we've all had to endure to get to this point, but most of the objections raised in this thread are either from a position of ignorance or simply a matter of personal taste (which I imagine has been somewhat clouded by the all-consuming hatred some espouse for Ron).

Firstly, this is absolutely nothing new. For anyone who has been paying attention (and thanks to a few dedicated posters who go through each iteration of the planning docs, and contribute to some v interesting discussions in the Fossets section of the forum), the news of a reduced capacity and flats replacing the hotel was thoroughly discussed back in September of last year.

A capacity of over 16,000 will absolutely be more than sufficient for us in almost every conceivable future scenario. We can, with good new ownership, strong management, and some luck establish ourselves as a L1 club with championship ambitions with the stadium as proposed in these plans. Anything higher than that is a) pretty damn unlikely - honestly go and look at the names of the clubs at the top of L1 right now and tell me which ones you think we ought to be competing with; and b) attendance numbers start to diminish in importance given the obscene TV deals in the Prem and filtering down to the Championship. 16k+ is more than enough.

Secondly, complaints over the phasing are, as far as I can tell, driven by a blind pessimistic presumption that nothing good can ever come of this development (understandable given the tribulations over the years). But things have changed. The training ground has been developed. The club is for sale. The council want their thousands of new homes. This is going to happen now. And the idea that any new owner waiting in the wings to buy us because of our potential is going to be happy to plod along with us in a 3-sided stadium with its main stand and revenue generator missing in perpetuity seems a bit unlikely. Even after phase 1, the 3 stands will give us significantly more revenue streams, fewer overheads and a much more pleasant experience than the current state of Roots Hall.

And please, if you are still talking about us having no revenue streams because the hotel has been dropped, do yourself and everyone else a favour and find some of @C'mon you Shrimpers posts in the stadium section, because he has done the work for you. There are bars, cafes, food outlets, boxes, ballrooms, and space that can be tailored for whatever the new owners have in mind (office space etc.).

In terms of the design of the stadium itself - it looks pretty good to me, but appreciate that is down to personal taste. Safe standing to create a proper home end will be great, and I actually don't mind the flats built into the main stand. It gives a sense of scale to the ground that we could never achieve through seating alone as we'll never need a 40/50k stadium.

Finally, and probably most disappointingly, the frequent complaints in this thread about this being a housing development with a stadium built on, or us being stuck in a 'ghetto' (from posters with a dubious history of talking about ethnicity of our prospective new neighbours). Honestly, get a ****ing grip. We're currently sitting on a former rubbish dump down Vic Avenue, it's hardly the Ritz. Football stadiums should be in amongst housing, it's where up until 20 years ago, they've always been. Give me this over a stadium attached to a drab and dying retail park any day.

Having lived for a few years in the Olympic Village in Stratford, and actually looked at the Residential plans for this development unlike some of the critics, these modern developments really aren't this eyesore people are thinking of. They are generally quite well designed, have cafes/shops on the ground level and multiple green spaces. I genuinely think in 5/10 years time this will be a desirable part of Southend to be in, and with the right ownership we will be able to take advantage of thousands of new prospective fans right on our doorstep.

I know the last few years have been incredibly depressing for all of us, but really please do try to tone down the 'everything is **** and I hate it' stuff around the stadium. Provided the sale of the club goes well, we've got plans in place for a really bright future, and when we eventually get there I do think the vast majority will be delighted with it.

What a total load of deluded drivel. Mr Martin could not have written this nonsense any more succinct. I can't even begin to reply to the above post without derision

 

[edwardss2]

I'm not sure how much money the bars, cafes, food outlets, boxes, ballrooms, office spaces etc. will really bring in, apart from match day revenue. In the week it is just too far from Southend, and no one who doesn't have a particular reason to go there is going to cross that road. There is loads of free office space everywhere, the only advantage I can see of renting office space there would be if there were loads of car parking spaces.

The three sided ground sounds terrible, don't assume it will ever get built, Oxford are leaving the Kassam without the ground ever having been completed. I wonder if we may end up doing an Oxford actually, being at the new stadium for a few years before looking for another one elsewhere. Guess that depends on who ends up owning the stadium and who ends up owning the club.

For people who have a longer history than I at SUFC, I wondered what is 'the thing' that could be transferred or transported from RH to the new ground to root it in the history of SUFC? I think Spurs have the big cockerel on a ball, and Arsenal the clock. What can they do to avoid it being just another fairly soulless out of town stadium?

 

[Kat_r]

How utterly bizarre about the water.

Yup. Not me making it up it’s in the article Was thinking about it last night. Takes more than that to wash long hair it’s ridiculous

 

[Kat_r]

The latest designs just don't excite me. It's a three sided stadium on a housing estate missing the main stand. We laugh at how bad Oxford is without a stand behind a goal but we're talking about the main stand here. It's going to be ****.

Is there a contractual obligation on how long before the main stand is built?

Feels like with every change Ron makes he's changing the balance of who benefits more between the club or his back pocket with his back pocket being favoured every time.

Yeah I mean it’s worked out very well for him now all there is are flats. trouble is he’s actually got to build them now. Can he afford to?

 

[stewart]

Stadium down by the seaside would be good ,in the heart of the city ,

 

[Kat_r]

I'm not sure how much money the bars, cafes, food outlets, boxes, ballrooms, office spaces etc. will really bring in, apart from match day revenue. In the week it is just too far from Southend, and no one who doesn't have a particular reason to go there is going to cross that road. There is loads of free office space everywhere, the only advantage I can see of renting office space there would be if there were loads of car parking spaces.

The three sided ground sounds terrible, don't assume it will ever get built, Oxford are leaving the Kassam without the ground ever having been completed. I wonder if we may end up doing an Oxford actually, being at the new stadium for a few years before looking for another one elsewhere. Guess that depends on who ends up owning the stadium and who ends up owning the club.

For people who have a longer history than I at SUFC, I wondered what is 'the thing' that could be transferred or transported from RH to the new ground to root it in the history of SUFC? I think Spurs have the big cockerel on a ball, and Arsenal the clock. What can they do to avoid it being just another fairly soulless out of town stadium?

Agreed. That’s my worry. Colchester’s stadium is embarrassing and utterly soulless

 

[Shrimper]

Stadium down by the seaside would be good ,in the heart of the city ,

Will never happen. Wouldn't fit in a residential arra like Seaway.

 

[danbowen]

Stadium down by the seaside would be good ,in the heart of the city ,

Imagine getting anywhere near the ground on a warm day. It’s tough enough to get to the seafront as it is on them days let alone adding thousands of others with no proper parking available etc.

 

[defender05]

If any new owners were looking for alternate places for a stadium the area near the fairglen roundabout opposite the new project where they hold the outdoor cinema would be better, apart from public transport it's out of the town and new roads could connect to the A127.

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

If any new owners were looking for alternate places for a stadium the area near the fairglen roundabout opposite the new project where they hold the outdoor cinema would be better, apart from public transport it's out of the town and new roads could connect to the A127.

Is that the one after Rayleigh Weir?

 

[Tommy2holes]

If any new owners were looking for alternate places for a stadium the area near the fairglen roundabout opposite the new project where they hold the outdoor cinema would be better, apart from public transport it's out of the town and new roads could connect to the A127.

That not even in the borough. That's closer to Basildon than Southend.

The club has got too far forward with fossetts to turn back now.

It's literally fossetts or bust as far as Ron is concerned. Obviously, if we got a very rich new owner or owners they may decide to revamp roots hall or look elsewhere but it's very unlikely with Fossetts looking to get the green light in the next few weeks.

 

[bazzashrimper]

If the smaller stadium get approval, does that undo the approval for the bigger stadium?

 

[damien]

I'm not sure how much money the bars, cafes, food outlets, boxes, ballrooms, office spaces etc. will really bring in, apart from match day revenue. In the week it is just too far from Southend, and no one who doesn't have a particular reason to go there is going to cross that road. There is loads of free office space everywhere, the only advantage I can see of renting office space there would be if there were loads of car parking spaces.

The three sided ground sounds terrible, don't assume it will ever get built, Oxford are leaving the Kassam without the ground ever having been completed. I wonder if we may end up doing an Oxford actually, being at the new stadium for a few years before looking for another one elsewhere. Guess that depends on who ends up owning the stadium and who ends up owning the club.

For people who have a longer history than I at SUFC, I wondered what is 'the thing' that could be transferred or transported from RH to the new ground to root it in the history of SUFC? I think Spurs have the big cockerel on a ball, and Arsenal the clock. What can they do to avoid it being just another fairly soulless out of town stadium?

The Frank Walton Stand Clock would look great on the new main stand, with the hands at 7.06, indicating on a 24 hour clock...... 1906

You are welcome whoever from the club may read this.

 

[Strykr]

The Frank Walton Stand Clock would look great on the new main stand, with the hands at 7.06, indicating on a 24 hour clock...... 1906

You are welcome whoever from the club may read this.

I think id prefer they just fixed it.

 

[defender05]

Is that the one after Rayleigh Weir?

Yes

 

[defender05]

That not even in the borough. That's closer to Basildon than Southend.

The club has got too far forward with fossetts to turn back now.

It's literally fossetts or bust as far as Ron is concerned. Obviously, if we got a very rich new owner or owners they may decide to revamp roots hall or look elsewhere but it's very unlikely with Fossetts looking to get the green light in the next few weeks.

I agree we are stuck with Fossetts, I was just putting out there an option that a new owner might look at as an alternative instead of moaning about the current plans.

As for being closer to Basildon what difference does it really make?

 

[Tommy2holes]

I agree we are stuck with Fossetts, I was just putting out there an option that a new owner might look at as an alternative instead of moaning about the current plans.

As for being closer to Basildon what difference does it really make?

Is that a genuine question?

Of course it matters. We are Southend united and play in the borough, ideally as close as possible to the city centre.

Why on earth would we play next to the A127 10 miles away. No transport links. No food or drink or pre match anything. That would be madness.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I'm not sure how much money the bars, cafes, food outlets, boxes, ballrooms, office spaces etc. will really bring in, apart from match day revenue. In the week it is just too far from Southend, and no one who doesn't have a particular reason to go there is going to cross that road. There is loads of free office space everywhere, the only advantage I can see of renting office space there would be if there were loads of car parking spaces.

The three sided ground sounds terrible, don't assume it will ever get built, Oxford are leaving the Kassam without the ground ever having been completed. I wonder if we may end up doing an Oxford actually, being at the new stadium for a few years before looking for another one elsewhere. Guess that depends on who ends up owning the stadium and who ends up owning the club.

For people who have a longer history than I at SUFC, I wondered what is 'the thing' that could be transferred or transported from RH to the new ground to root it in the history of SUFC? I think Spurs have the big cockerel on a ball, and Arsenal the clock. What can they do to avoid it being just another fairly soulless out of town stadium?

The scoreboard, if only for future generations to be baffled by it.

 

[hlane17]

As for being closer to Basildon what difference does it really make?

Because we are Southend United, not Basildon United

 

[Holy Joe]

If the smaller stadium get approval, does that undo the approval for the bigger stadium?

I don't think so -i think this a new application rather than an amendment -so the old permission should remain valid for 3 years from date of approval - or forever if we start some of it