Hospitality Area In The East Stand

[anR]

How many different rumours have we heard about what row these boxes will start? People around me seemed to think Row W...

[Dirk Gently]

How many different rumours have we heard about what row these boxes will start? People around me seemed to think Row W...

And, in a nutshell, you sum up why this is such a confused mess!

[Behindu]

Is this not a discussion forum then?

Nail hit on head !

It's where people come to talk about stuff rather than do anything...
CS is spot on, get on the phone and find out the facts rather than carry on in ignorance (as we all are - not you personally !)

[PieEater]

How many different rumours have we heard about what row these boxes will start? People around me seemed to think Row W...

No exactly rumours, more based on people bothering to read the plans submitted, and then count the seat rows in the drawings. (and FWIW I thought it was X to DD)

[PieEater]

So what you are saying Yellowcoat is to wait until the final plans have all been drawn up and finalised and then voice your complaint when its all too late. The time for consultation with the fans about the new design should be now when something can actually be done about it. However it seems that Reading FC have already made their minds up about what to do with the space. My only surprise is that it doesn't go all the way along the East stand. Watch this space.

Well said, the plans submitted are very detailed and factual submissions to obtain planning permission. The only surprise is that STAR seem to be encouraging people to pretend it's not happening. If they do want it to happen then I'd prefer them to come clean and tell affected supporters to think of the greater good (like a new STAR office?).

So I wonder if they'll be doing seat plaques again this year

[bigmike]

So I wonder if they'll be doing seat plaques again this year

I am rushing out to buy one now

[Behindu]

Ask them to Blutac rather than superglue it on !

[STAR Voice]

So what you are saying Yellowcoat is to wait until the final plans have all been drawn up and finalised and then voice your complaint when its all too late. The time for consultation with the fans about the new design should be now when something can actually be done about it. However it seems that Reading FC have already made their minds up about what to do with the space. My only surprise is that it doesn't go all the way along the East stand. Watch this space.

Well said, the plans submitted are very detailed and factual submissions to obtain planning permission. The only surprise is that STAR seem to be encouraging people to pretend it's not happening. If they do want it to happen then I'd prefer them to come clean and tell affected supporters to think of the greater good (like a new STAR office?).

So I wonder if they'll be doing seat plaques again this year

See the response to this accusation in the STAR forum.

[fester_royal_blue]

im well aware all the 'cucumber sandwich' lot bring revenue into the club but do we really have to up root and brake up the 'real' fans to accomdate them?
lots of people in the east stand have sat with each other for years, formed friendships and as a result are begining to create good atmosphere (which has been a long time comming at the mad stad).
the west stand has always been the corperate area, surely theres a way of moving the fans to the east and keeping the businesses in the west?

[Royal Lady]

But now they're saying it's not CORPORATE hospitality, it's a more upmarket version of the current concourse, available to us at a price. Have they actually bothered to find out whether there's enough interest in this? I thought at the planning stages you kind of had input from those it involved?

[PieEater]

I think Matchday hospitality is the phrase used. (on the OS and page 34 of the planning application) does it matter whether its corporate freeloaders or a new breed of richer elite supporter?

[Skyline]

Why place the hospitality in the stand that due to demand was the first one in the ground that had inforced reserved seating.

And now you're re-writing history. The West (Upper and Lower) have always been reserved, and the North was reserved before the East was. In fact, IIRC, the North was only made unreserved when the East was made reserved, because the club wanted to encourage the singers to move to the North stand.

So they had reserved seating in the North Stand when it was pretty much empty????

The North Stand was reserved from the opening of the stadium, as was only made unreserved when the East Stand was made reserved.

FWIW, my own opinion on this is that it would make sense if the club put this new 'hospitality' area at the bottom of the new extension, rather than taking away existing seats.

Even though I now sit in the Upper West, I used to sit in the East in seat X150 (or 151 - the old memory fades...), which would (apparently) have been one of the seats that would be removed, and I wouldn't have been happy about it.

Indeed, not long after I moved the Upper West, there was a threat to remove the seat I occupy (as well as those of several other HNAers) to extend the press box, and on that occasion STAR helped sort things out.

[Behindu]

[FWIW, my own opinion on this is that it would make sense if the club put this new 'hospitality' area at the bottom of the new extension, rather than taking away existing seats.

Will the location be determined by where the concourses are ? The seats would need to be 'outside' a concourse level and this may not coincide with the first rows of seats in the new tier.

[Gregster]

But now they're saying it's not CORPORATE hospitality, it's a more upmarket version of the current concourse, available to us at a price. Have they actually bothered to find out whether there's enough interest in this? I thought at the planning stages you kind of had input from those it involved?

Nail on the head RL. It seems RFC are pushing STAR to ask the fans not to worry about this as it's only one design being considered. Yet there are no other designs published. And if we don't voice concerns now, they will seemingly have no opposition to the design. In effect, they're not even asking for fans views.

Hence, it's then a finalised design. The FINAL design. How can you then object?!?

The designs are then completed and if they are, which football club has ever changed costly plans, planning permission, etc at the expense of a few loyal fans.

Another example of the sad path modern football is taking. If the loyal fans are disgruntled and cancel their season tickets, it's £540 lost over the season. This will pale into insignificance when compared to the revenue from these new 'no hospitality but premium' seats. It's laughable but sad.

Object when the design is finalised. See how far that gets you. That's why there's an objection phase in planning permission, etc.

Shoot away but from what they've said, how can you argue this isn't the case.

I think STAR being involved can only be a good thing but please, surely you must point out the oxymoron of objecting to a finalised design?!?

[M4 Junction 11]

Latest from the official site:

As part of the proposed redevelopment of the East Stand, the Club is considering the conversion of a central section of existing seating into matchday hospitality.

The redevelopment would not come into force until the start of the 2008/9 season at the earliest, and we can guarantee that any supporter whose current seat may become unavailable would be compensated and given first priority on selecting a new seat.

We would like to stress that it is too early to specify which seats would be involved, and all affected supporters would be individually contacted as soon as more advanced plans became available.

Due to the central location of the area, we recognise that many of the people who may be affected are among our most loyal and long-standing supporters, and we sincerely apologise to anyone who would be affected as we continue to develop the stadium and take the Club forward.

We will endeavour to keep supporters fully informed, but if you have any queries at this stage please contact the Customer Service department on 0118 968 1211.As part of the proposed redevelopment of the East Stand, the Club is considering the conversion of a central section of existing seating into matchday hospitality.

The redevelopment would not come into force until the start of the 2008/9 season at the earliest, and we can guarantee that any supporter whose current seat may become unavailable would be compensated and given first priority on selecting a new seat.

We would like to stress that it is too early to specify which seats would be involved, and all affected supporters would be individually contacted as soon as more advanced plans became available.

Due to the central location of the area, we recognise that many of the people who may be affected are among our most loyal and long-standing supporters, and we sincerely apologise to anyone who would be affected as we continue to develop the stadium and take the Club forward.

We will endeavour to keep supporters fully informed, but if you have any queries at this stage please contact the Customer Service department on 0118 968 1211.

Do you think the 'Club releases further info regarding proposed redevelopment of the Stadium' item on the OS is a planned follow-up to the leaflets handed out at the match or just a coincience that it appears on the OS just as we're talking about it?

[bigmike]

Latest from the official site:

As part of the proposed redevelopment of the East Stand, the Club is considering the conversion of a central section of existing seating into matchday hospitality.

The redevelopment would not come into force until the start of the 2008/9 season at the earliest, and we can guarantee that any supporter whose current seat may become unavailable would be compensated and given first priority on selecting a new seat.

We would like to stress that it is too early to specify which seats would be involved, and all affected supporters would be individually contacted as soon as more advanced plans became available.

Due to the central location of the area, we recognise that many of the people who may be affected are among our most loyal and long-standing supporters, and we sincerely apologise to anyone who would be affected as we continue to develop the stadium and take the Club forward.

We will endeavour to keep supporters fully informed, but if you have any queries at this stage please contact the Customer Service department on 0118 968 1211.As part of the proposed redevelopment of the East Stand, the Club is considering the conversion of a central section of existing seating into matchday hospitality.

The redevelopment would not come into force until the start of the 2008/9 season at the earliest, and we can guarantee that any supporter whose current seat may become unavailable would be compensated and given first priority on selecting a new seat.

We would like to stress that it is too early to specify which seats would be involved, and all affected supporters would be individually contacted as soon as more advanced plans became available.

Due to the central location of the area, we recognise that many of the people who may be affected are among our most loyal and long-standing supporters, and we sincerely apologise to anyone who would be affected as we continue to develop the stadium and take the Club forward.

We will endeavour to keep supporters fully informed, but if you have any queries at this stage please contact the Customer Service department on 0118 968 1211.

Do you think the 'Club releases further info regarding proposed redevelopment of the Stadium' item on the OS is a planned follow-up to the leaflets handed out at the match or just a coincience that it appears on the OS just as we're talking about it?

For many years it has seemed that someone at the club actually monitors this site. It was a reaction.

I still insist that if the inital communication was offical it would have gone down better than it has done.

We seem to be the last to know whats going on at the club. But by the looks of it if its going to happen it going to happen. Just like the fact that we have to pay £200 more for a season ticket than we did in the championship we will just have to accept it. But you wont know what your acepting as theres no offical word on whats happening.

[Behindu]

We seem to be the last to know whats going on at the club.

Realistically what sequence of communication do you want ?

The club have to know what is going to happen first, and then they tell the fans.

There isn;t another link in the chain and we can't know before they do.

They can't conduct detailed discussions with every individual but do consult (and not just with STAR).

There was a widely publicised evening at the club where the plans were on show, the club and the architects were available to dicsuss any aspect of the plans and very few people actually went along to have a look.

At that session the club were open to all sorts of suggestions and (for example) disabled fans have been in long and detailed discussion about the facilities and I believe have had changes made.

[bigmike]

We seem to be the last to know whats going on at the club.

Realistically what sequence of communication do you want ?

The club have to know what is going to happen first, and then they tell the fans.

There isn;t another link in the chain and we can't know before they do.

They can't conduct detailed discussions with every individual but do consult (and not just with STAR).

There was a widely publicised evening at the club where the plans were on show, the club and the architects were available to dicsuss any aspect of the plans and very few people actually went along to have a look.

At that session the club were open to all sorts of suggestions and (for example) disabled fans have been in long and detailed discussion about the facilities and I believe have had changes made.

The Information on the site would have done any thing that actually came from the club. Not a oncesided sheet of A4 paper handed out by someone at the ground.

All they needed to have said is what was put on the site as a reaction to the A4 sheets and the discussion on here. Proactive customer services makes the customer feel like they are actually valued.

I guess that my expectation of customer services is different that yours. I am going to agree to disagree and move on.

[Jerry St Clair]

Due to the central location of the area, we recognise that many of the people who may be affected are among our most loyal and long-standing supporters, and we sincerely apologise to anyone who would be affected as we continue to develop the stadium and take the Club forward..............now please oxf*rd off and leave us alone, because we're going to do it regardless.

[riverroyal]

Isnt it about time the club got a better artists impression done. surely they must know what it would look like now. the pictures they keep putting out are rubbish.