Home Park News (grandstand & Training piches)

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

What do we think is actually achievable within the £5m refurb?

If the basic substructure remains unaltered (as will surely be the case) then it is the superstructure that will be titivated. That must surely mean new seats, painting and decorating etc on the external bits us plebs use. Probably means seats on the Mayflower Terrace. Could mean a new roof covering but the structure will probably be identical to the current state... Inside I guess removal of all non-corporate catering stuff and reconfiguring to maximise potential covers.

What else is anybody seriously expecting to see?

Or have I been too ambitious?

Im guessing the GT's will sort the painting and decorating. No receipts needed.

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

What do we think is actually achievable within the £5m refurb?

If the basic substructure remains unaltered (as will surely be the case) then it is the superstructure that will be titivated. That must surely mean new seats, painting and decorating etc on the external bits us plebs use. Probably means seats on the Mayflower Terrace. Could mean a new roof covering but the structure will probably be identical to the current state... Inside I guess removal of all non-corporate catering stuff and reconfiguring to maximise potential covers.

What else is anybody seriously expecting to see?

Or have I been too ambitious?

Well there is the need for a drinking hole. I'm surprised you forgot that.

I haven't. Another drinking hole in the stadium for ALL mayflower terrace and grandstand users would be most welcome, and 50 years overdue. BUT, only on match days. It is a park after all. Wesley's reasonings on alcohol weren't all ludicrously repressive.

I'm ok with the members only routine 7 days a week enjoyed by the Far Post Club as they never abused the park in any way. But no 7 days a week public outlets.
Of course Brent and Hallet, who, as non city residents, see park interests as coming second to their own, will be looking at extending alcohol activity as much as they can in an age when licenced premises are closing at a rate of sea faring knots. Should be interesting, and I will no doubt gain a little more insight when I make use of the information walk and talks around the park the council are organising in the very near future.

As to the actual refurb, returning seating in the Mayflower is well overdue and I'm glad that is one of the proposals. I couldn't care less what they do to the grandstand seating although it plainly needs a makeover. It's quite clear the huge bulk of the money will be spent on a "corporate hospitality" bolt-on, as it is euphemistically called. Save me from corporate expense jollies. I remember in the far distant past their dull functionary knees ups as bankrupt of anything worthwhile in real terms.

beesrus wrote:

I haven't. Another drinking hole in the stadium for ALL mayflower terrace and grandstand users would be most welcome, and 50 years overdue. BUT, only on match days. It is a park after all. Wesley's thoughts on alcohol weren't all bad.

I'm ok with the members only routine 7 days a week enjoyed by the Far Post Club as they never abused the park in any way. But no 7 days a week public outlets.

I have a feeling there won't be much of a 'club' for general fans and instead there will be a couple of 'kiosks' much like elsewhere in the stadium...

Yes, that would certainly fit in with Brent's philosophy in general, if one looks at his record so far. He's not interested in the fan pound, he's interested in the hospitality/conferencing pound, the revenue for which may well not end up showing itself on the football pitch. He must have a lot of overheads to cover with all those limited liability companies holed up at PL2.

Your chance to see porky work


ARGYLE supporters are being given the opportunity for a sneak preview of Home Park's New Mayflower Grandstand this Bank Holiday weekend.
The club has been working with architects, designers, staff and supporters since the announcement, in January, that the club's main grandstand is being redeveloped ‎and expanded at a cost in excess of £5m.

The New Mayflower will a include a Conferencing & Banqueting Centre to provide 21st century hospitality for supporters and additional revenues to invest in  the club and team.

The planning process is still being developed in advance of moving to formal public consultation shortly. However, before then, the Pilgrims are providing the Green Army with a chance to see how the development is progressing.

They will be displaying some of the current plans in the Green Room at Home Park on Saturday-Sunday May 27-28, between 10am-2pm.

Plans will show:

•         the general layout of the refurbished and extended grandstand;
•         locations and proposed sizes of new ancillary buildings, including the players’ dressing-room, club shop and bars;
•         sections through the building, showing how the works will affect the existing structure and extend it to provide greatly improved facilities;
•         rendered computer-generated images, giving a snapshot of what the buildings will look like when complete;
•         future stages of the project which will eventually see the capacity to  more than 20,000.

The planning preview is one of two events taking place at Home Park this weekend, with the newly-formed Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive hosting an exhibition of club memorabilia in the Tribute Lounge at the same time, featuring a wide variety of Argyle artefacts from the Pilgrims’ past.

The Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive has been formed by enthusiastic fans, in partnership with the Pilgrims, to promote cooperation between fans and the club, and safeguard memorabilia and other items of historical interest for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Read more at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I wonder to whether this hospitality will be on Akkeron land and not the clubs, allowing him all the profits therein?

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

What do we think is actually achievable within the £5m refurb?

If the basic substructure remains unaltered (as will surely be the case) then it is the superstructure that will be titivated. That must surely mean new seats, painting and decorating etc on the external bits us plebs use. Probably means seats on the Mayflower Terrace. Could mean a new roof covering but the structure will probably be identical to the current state... Inside I guess removal of all non-corporate catering stuff and reconfiguring to maximise potential covers.

What else is anybody seriously expecting to see?

Or have I been too ambitious?

too ambitious, by far.

Not expecting much. Seats back on the lower mayflower is a big plus but the rest will be a paint job and the end of those awful wooden seats hopefully. Nothing could be worse than the current carbuncle.

So is this viewing open to all fans and residents, or is it part of an "event" ?
Only one way to find out I guess.
I did think the details would either be released on the bank holiday or General election day. Good day for it etc.

Tgwu wrote:

Your chance to see porky work


ARGYLE supporters are being given the opportunity for a sneak preview of Home Park's New Mayflower Grandstand this Bank Holiday weekend.
The club has been working with architects, designers, staff and supporters since the announcement, in January, that the club's main grandstand is being redeveloped ‎and expanded at a cost in excess of £5m.

The New Mayflower will a include a Conferencing & Banqueting Centre to provide 21st century hospitality for supporters and additional revenues to invest in  the club and team.

The planning process is still being developed in advance of moving to formal public consultation shortly. However, before then, the Pilgrims are providing the Green Army with a chance to see how the development is progressing.

They will be displaying some of the current plans in the Green Room at Home Park on Saturday-Sunday May 27-28, between 10am-2pm.

Plans will show:

•         the general layout of the refurbished and extended grandstand;
•         locations and proposed sizes of new ancillary buildings, including the players’ dressing-room, club shop and bars;
•         sections through the building, showing how the works will affect the existing structure and extend it to provide greatly improved facilities;
•         rendered computer-generated images, giving a snapshot of what the buildings will look like when complete;
•         future stages of the project which will eventually see the capacity to  more than 20,000.

The planning preview is one of two events taking place at Home Park this weekend, with the newly-formed Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive hosting an exhibition of club memorabilia in the Tribute Lounge at the same time, featuring a wide variety of Argyle artefacts from the Pilgrims’ past.

The Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive has been formed by enthusiastic fans, in partnership with the Pilgrims, to promote cooperation between fans and the club, and safeguard memorabilia and other items of historical interest for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Read more at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

These bar(s) are external to the grandstand then, prob to allow fans from all parts of the ground to use without spoiling the 21st century hospitality experience.....

Ah... now I can understand why the heritage thing has come up at this time. Thought it all meant very little sense without a reason.
There's going to be a lot of auctioning going on. during this refurb, what with all that old tat being chucked out. Fancy a brick, a bit of corrugated ?

beesrus wrote:

So is this viewing open to all fans and residents, or is it part of an "event" ?
Only one way to find out I guess.
I did think the details would either be released on the bank holiday or General election day. Good day for it etc.

Ain't that the truth!
We'll give you 2 days notice and then open for 4 hours each day over a bank holiday weekend.
You couldn't make it up I tell you!
I would love to go and view the plans (having been unsuccessful in being picked as a member of the Working Group) but I've had plans for this bank holiday weekend since November last year.
I just knew something like this would happen.
Haven't renewed my ST yet. Serious consideration will take place over the weekend, with the early bird price ending on Wednesday.

As predicted its utter bollocks. Not that my hopes where high for a half decent stand but this really is shit.

Something is wrong!! Is it free to get in? Do you need a booking history of XX games over the last 2 seasons to make a valid comment?

Quote :

 •         future stages of the project which will eventually see the capacity to  more than 20,000.
   

This bit really confirms how shit it's going to be. The old 'future stages' bollocks is being wheeled out.

Freathy wrote:

Quote :

 •         future stages of the project which will eventually see the capacity to  more than 20,000.
   

This bit really confirms how shit it's going to be.  The old 'future stages' bollocks is being wheeled out.

Was gonna say the same. Where the fcuk has this *future stages* bit come from all of a sudden?

Is Brent seriously going to backtrack on the £5m refurb taking the capacity to 20,000?

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

If the "new" grandstand maintains current numbers of seats and the "new" Mayflower Terrace has the same capacity as it did before when it was seated capacity will increase from current levels to very near 20,000 if it does not excede it.

I suppose the new capacity might be a little lower than it used to be if the new seating is a little more spacious than the old.

I wouldn't really consider that to be a cop out on Brent's "pledge".

It could be that this latest release is poorly worded. But there have been numerous quotes from Brent himself and others that this £5m refurb would take the capacity to around 20,000. Now for me that at the very least is Upper 19's.

If some half-arsed carbuncle of around 18,000 is flopped out, then that would be nothing short of a (sadly unsurprising) disgrace.

Nothing is poorly worded where Brent is concerned. Every last syllable as carefully considered to give the best impression while committing to nothing.
The first statement said the plans would give a stadium of 20,000 with scope for future expansion.
Now it is future expansion will result in more than 20,000. Subtle difference, but obviously saying the new capacity will be 18,000 as when the Mayflower was last populated.
Drip drip bad news. He's his own worst enemy treating fans like fools.
One has to ask why  the corners, or at least one corner, are not being seen to in some form. Probably still seen as possible sites for further business encroachment.
With the club shortly to be heavily mortgaged again, and this pair making noises of hanging around for years, that's the end of a completed stadium in many fans' lifetime. A far better future could have been secured if ownership had stayed with the council, as they would have eventually accessed funding that Brent/Hallett can't

beesrus wrote:

A far better future could have been secured if ownership had stayed with the council, as they would have eventually accessed funding that Brent/Hallett can't

You almost had me until that bit..

The council have had a hundred and sixteen years and haven't managed it yet!  How much longer do you propose?

They rebuilt the bombed out grandstand didn't they ?  And 11 million of other peoples' public money was found at the turn of the century to produce the horseshoe, albeit under Blair's ludicrous vision of Roman amphitheatres across the nation. The looming dark days apart, there are several revenue streams out there from government/football/sport quangos that drip feed monies to public owned facilities, It's how it's done these days in this country.The council have just secured £9m for the outside park alone.

The only hope Brent/Hallett have of getting a lucky bunce from someone is premier Murdoch money.  Some hope of that They sure as heck won't be knocking down their own earner without a wopping great sum from someone.

The real problem has always been the club owners themselves who have always refused to put their own hands in their pockets to produce a joint effort with public money. Joint public efforts have worked brilliantly up and down the country. There was the chance to build a whole stadium in 2000 if a joint venture could have been agreed, and the same recently, when Brent totally misread the Council offer. What public body will get into bed with Brent at Home Park after the Oldway disaster and the continuing Pavillions situation that Brent picked up at Poundland.

Clear from that statement of the reluctant bidder is that a stadium of around 18,500 capacity is coming up with potential for expansion in 2150.
Its going to be an improvement from a point of the lyndhurst not viewing the current abortion but its done and dusted with this preview, its what we're getting nailed on with no consultation the WG nullified that....oh jimmy will go through the motions of one but whatever is on view this weekend is set in stone

Yep, I was probably being too generous with the 'poorly worded' bit. What gets me is Brent shorely must realise this backtrack on previously stated intentions only serves to make him look even more of a chancer. Yes, the typical thicko Janner will still lap it up. But you don't have to be too much of an educated wanker to see the real picture.

beesrus wrote:

They rebuilt the bombed out grandstand didn't they ?  And 11 million of other peoples' public money was found at the turn of the century to produce the horseshoe, albeit under Blair's ludicrous vision of Roman amphitheatres across the nation. The looming dark days apart, there are several revenue streams out there from government/football/sport quangos that drip feed monies to public owned facilities, It's how it's done these days in this country.The council have just secured £9m for the outside park alone.

The only hope Brent/Hallett have of getting a lucky bunce from someone is premier Murdoch money.  Some hope of that They sure as heck won't be knocking down their own earner without a wopping great sum from someone.

The real problem has always been the club owners themselves who have always refused to put their own hands in their pockets to produce a joint effort with public money. Joint public efforts have worked brilliantly up and down the country. There was the chance to build a whole stadium in 2000 if a joint venture could have been agreed, and the same recently, when Brent totally misread the Council offer. What public body will get into bed with Brent at Home Park after the Oldway disaster and the continuing Pavillions situation that Brent picked up at Poundland.

"Dan McCauley will leave it up to opposition parties on Plymouth City Council to challenge the local authority's decision to sell Home Park to Argyle. McCauley feels the city cannot afford to turn down the extra income his offer for Home Park would have produced. He contacted the local authority leader, Tudor Evans, last week to ask why his bid had been snubbed. Apart from an acknowledgment of his letter and a summary of the Cabinet decision, McCauley has not received a reply. He said: "I'm not a ratepayer in Plymouth, so I'm not suffering any loss. I can't sue anybody for anything, because it's the city's ratepayers who are at a loss and not me. I've written to Conservative opposition leader Vivien Pengelly, and she did respond to say that she's going to take it further." McCauley has explained why he thinks his bid would have been beneficial for both the local authority and the club. He said: "I made an offer to buy the property at more than the Council are receiving and step into their shoes. "They weren't obliged by the lease to give any more money but I have the funds to help complete the stadium, so the club could have kept their £2.7m to spend on team strengthening and I could have helped with the buildings. At the Cabinet meeting, the Councillors were only told that other interest had been received but didn't mention at what level. It seems a surprise and a shame to me that they didn't explore my proposal at all. To describe my offers in the way they did was totally misleading." McCauley also doubts that Argyle need to become owners, rather than tenants, of Home Park in order to borrow the funds needed to complete the stadium rebuilding project. He added: "Why don't the club keep the 125-year lease in place and instead use the £2.7m saving of the freehold purchase price to invest in the phase-two works instead? I wonder whether the club are over-egging the 'we must own the freehold in order to borrow money to undertake the development of the main stand' line? I thought lenders viewed a 125-year lease to be almost as good as a freehold." McCauley went on to insist that receiving only £2.7m for the freehold of Home Park was very bad value for the Council. He said: "Phase one of the stadium development cost approximately £4.6m. This was financed by grants from Plymouth City Council (£2.5m) and the Football Trust (£1.5m). The Football Trust also made an interest-free loan to the club of £300,000 and the balance of £300,000 was met from the club's own resources. In addition, also in 2001, the Council agreed to pay £1.5m to the club as compensation to surrender its old lease, which had only ten years left to run. Therefore, in the past five years a total of £4m has been paid by the Council to the club towards the Home Park property. It is now set to receive only £2.7m back - and lose the freehold. This fact seems to have been totally ignored, and it is most surprising that no reference is being made to this.""

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