GU8,9,10 yesterday

[Cypry]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

[madreadingfan]

Sat in GU2 yesterday and they blocked that side too.. have no idea why was pretty stupid

Also I cannot tell you how many Chelsea fans were in GU1 and GU2. I felt like the only person celebrating, I was surrounded by scum.

[Fox Talbot]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Some people felt quite unsafe. Enquiry needed?

[The Cube]

With Torres on the pitch everyone in the stadium was entitled to feel quite unsafe (apart from Federici).

[Cypry]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Some people felt quite unsafe. Enquiry needed?

Given that it seems to have been a policy decision (if, as mrf says above, the same decision was taken at the other end of the West Stand), then yes.

Luckily I was on my own last night, but I certainly wouldn't have felt comfortable if I'd had either of the kids with me as I usually do....

If they're going to do that'll the time then I'll be hopping over to the North Stand and leaving that way in future...

[gazzer, loyal royal]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Apparently it was on the directive of the head steward. Ludicrous. No one was told this prior so there was crush of people trying to get out of thAt exit who couldn't and were heading back to use the open exit and the people who didn't know it was shut and were trying to use it

[The Rouge]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Apparently it was on the directive of the head steward. Ludicrous.

Our new Head Steward pictured yesterday.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Apparently it was on the directive of the head steward. Ludicrous.

I've no idea what actually happened, but it's easy to envisage lots of situations where something like this might be necessary - for instance if someone has tripped and fallen on the stairs and is receiving first aid. The last thing they need is a thousand people squeezing past them.

Or do people really think they'd close a stairwell just to piss people off and to make things difficult for their colleagues at the top?

[SPARTA]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Poor prawns. Try getting out of the exits in Y25 and 26 with kids every week. Fricking pain in the arse inching forwards whenever you can, and trying to stop someone pushing in front and seperating you from the children. Upper West are gone seconds after they leave their seats. Apart from the obvious H&S concern, I really couldn't care less for your delay.

[SPARTA]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Poor prawns. Try getting out of the exits in Y25 and 26 every week. Fricking pain in the arse. Upper West are gone seconds after they leave their seats. Apart from the obvious H&S concern, I really couldn't care less for your delay.

Your envious, jealous snipings at those with more money than you are a sight to behold.

I'm in a grump today.. It's nothing to do with money. I come to football to enjoy the atmosphere as much as the football. I do on occasion choose the UW for a change on a cup game, and prefer it for view actually, but I wouldn't give up my seats in Y26 permanently.

[Cypry]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Apparently it was on the directive of the head steward. Ludicrous.

I've no idea what actually happened, but it's easy to envisage lots of situations where something like this might be necessary - for instance if someone has tripped and fallen on the stairs and is receiving first aid. The last thing they need is a thousand people squeezing past them.

Or do people really think they'd close a stairwell just to piss people off and to make things difficult for their colleagues at the top?

Thing is, it seems they did the same thing at opposite ends of the Upper West for two completely different stairwells, so it seems more of a policy decision than in reaction to an incident....

The delay didn't bother me so much as the potential safety issue if this is an ongoing situation - my 6 year old son is a STH and I occasionally take my 3 year old daughter, keeping an eye on both of them in that sort of environment would give me palpitations... - if it's going to be shut all the time from now on then I think we'll hop across to the North and go out that way.....

[72 bus]

Just ignore the stewards and go down your favourite stairwell, hardly a hanging offence
What they did the other night was absolutely stupid and could have caused young children to be crushed

[ZacNaloen]

I was wondering if it was to annoy the people who cut across from the north stand/south stand to get out quicker..

[Royal Lady]

We cut through the west stand concourse when leaving the stadium because it's a shorter walk for my aged father-in-law, a female steward tried to stop us yesterday, but we just ignored her I'm afraid. I've never noticed many people doing the same so I'm not sure why we shouldn't be allowed really. Any reason why we shouldn't be allowed to do this Dirk?

[Gordons Cumming]

We cut through the west stand concourse when leaving the stadium because it's a shorter walk for my aged father-in-law, a female steward tried to stop us yesterday, but we just ignored her I'm afraid. I've never noticed many people doing the same so I'm not sure why we shouldn't be allowed really. Any reason why we shouldn't be allowed to do this Dirk?

Maybe because it's safer to use the exits on the stand you're in?

Just a wild guess....

[UpThePrem]

We cut through the west stand concourse when leaving the stadium because it's a shorter walk for my aged father-in-law, a female steward tried to stop us yesterday, but we just ignored her I'm afraid. I've never noticed many people doing the same so I'm not sure why we shouldn't be allowed really. Any reason why we shouldn't be allowed to do this Dirk?

We do this. Far quicker and a bit quieter than trying to force your way through the gap on the corner of the hotel.

[RoyalBlue]

We cut through the west stand concourse when leaving the stadium because it's a shorter walk for my aged father-in-law, a female steward tried to stop us yesterday, but we just ignored her I'm afraid. I've never noticed many people doing the same so I'm not sure why we shouldn't be allowed really. Any reason why we shouldn't be allowed to do this Dirk?

We do this. Far quicker and a bit quieter than trying to force your way through the gap on the corner of the hotel.

I hadn't thought of doing this until you and RL mentioned it! I am sure I won't be the only one joining that route next time around!! Now they will have to do something to stop it!

[Geekins]

Just ignore the stewards and go down your favourite stairwell, hardly a hanging offence
What they did the other night was absolutely stupid and could have caused young children to be crushed

Will somebody please think of the children!

[creative_username_1]

Any idea why there was only one stairwell open after the game?
The emergency exit which a load of people in GU9/10 use was "closed" after the game forcing the whole section to use one stairwell...

Apparently it was on the directive of the head steward. Ludicrous.

Our new Head Steward pictured yesterday.

BOOM!

[Cypry]

Hung around for a minute or so after the team left the pitch this weekend, then when we headed out all exits were open as normal so I guess it was a one-off...