Commercial failings

[London Villan]

The inside the ground thing is a weird one. They could make the concourses - particularly the Holte and the Trinity a lot more inviting. Tables, stools (these could be bolted down) more screens, better service, music... create a "pub/bar" environment within certain sections of the concourses.

You can't obstruct potential evacuation routes.

Indeed, it would need to be designed well, but plenty of places manage with much smaller exits than the doors at Villa Park, such as gig venues, big night clubs let alone the big American stadiums etc etc.
Even Warwickshire have tried it - the one areas has a stage, live music, standing tables etc...

I agree the club are missing a trick and there must be some suitable ideas trial.

[Clampy]

There's also a bar in the old Stumps (or there used to be). I'm not sure if you need to be a season ticket holder to get into there though.

[dave.woodhall]

The inside the ground thing is a weird one. They could make the concourses - particularly the Holte and the Trinity a lot more inviting. Tables, stools (these could be bolted down) more screens, better service, music... create a "pub/bar" environment within certain sections of the concourses.

You can't obstruct potential evacuation routes.

Indeed, it would need to be designed well, but plenty of places manage with much smaller exits than the doors at Villa Park, such as gig venues, big night clubs let alone the big American stadiums etc etc.
Even Warwickshire have tried it - the one areas has a stage, live music, standing tables etc...

I agree the club are missing a trick and there must be some suitable ideas trial.

It's not the doors that's the problem, it's the stuff between your seat and getting out. You can guarantee that every one of the places you mention  will have unimpeded access from the viewing areas to the exits. The big problem, as we've been saying for a long while, is that the concourse areas are too cramped and there's not much room for expansion. 

[Fasth56]

I think the club are missing a trick, alongside the burger wagon on the Holte car park, why not have a pop up beer wagon, selling just beer by the bottle.

The club could even put some seats around the perimeter of the car park.

Fine yesterday. Not so good in January.

point taken

[Clampy]

The Ramsay's bar in the upper Holte maybe could have something done to it to make it appealing for people to pop into the ground for a pre-match beer.

[Fasth56]

The inside the ground thing is a weird one. They could make the concourses - particularly the Holte and the Trinity a lot more inviting. Tables, stools (these could be bolted down) more screens, better service, music... create a "pub/bar" environment within certain sections of the concourses.

You can't obstruct potential evacuation routes.

Indeed, it would need to be designed well, but plenty of places manage with much smaller exits than the doors at Villa Park, such as gig venues, big night clubs let alone the big American stadiums etc etc.
Even Warwickshire have tried it - the one areas has a stage, live music, standing tables etc...

I agree the club are missing a trick and there must be some suitable ideas trial.

It's not the doors that's the problem, it's the stuff between your seat and getting out. You can guarantee that every one of the places you mention  will have unimpeded access from the viewing areas to the exits. The big problem, as we've been saying for a long while, is that the concourse areas are too cramped and there's not much room for expansion. 

How do Leeds get away with it, 10 minutes queuing to leave my seat to get out of the stand, same last year as well, if something happened it would be carnage

[dave.woodhall]

How do Leeds get away with it, 10 minutes queuing to leave my seat to get out of the stand, same last year as well, if something happened it would be carnage

Without having been there lately I don't know, but I would guess that evacuating onto the pitch is an option and they may have extra emergency doors.

[London Villan]

The inside the ground thing is a weird one. They could make the concourses - particularly the Holte and the Trinity a lot more inviting. Tables, stools (these could be bolted down) more screens, better service, music... create a "pub/bar" environment within certain sections of the concourses.

You can't obstruct potential evacuation routes.

Indeed, it would need to be designed well, but plenty of places manage with much smaller exits than the doors at Villa Park, such as gig venues, big night clubs let alone the big American stadiums etc etc.
Even Warwickshire have tried it - the one areas has a stage, live music, standing tables etc...

I agree the club are missing a trick and there must be some suitable ideas trial.

It's not the doors that's the problem, it's the stuff between your seat and getting out. You can guarantee that every one of the places you mention  will have unimpeded access from the viewing areas to the exits. The big problem, as we've been saying for a long while, is that the concourse areas are too cramped and there's not much room for expansion. 

I'm sure something could be done in the Holte and pathways to the doors could be kept free. The outside marquee could be an option on the other side of the ground.

[London Villan]

I'd forgotten about the "Peaky Blinders" bar at the NIA too. Admittedly it's small, but very much the pub type bar, within a bland concert venue.

[Lastfootstamper]

There's no room inside the stands to do anything other than what's already there. Tables and chairs? If you're in even the smallest of groups, it's hard to find somewhere to stand as it is. UT yesterday, looking around in the concourse it was impossible to discern between people who had been served, people waiting to be served, and people waiting for someone else to come back from being served. The only way to get any elbow room is to stand around the top the stairs. And to achieve this level of comfort and space, they had to build literally over a road.

It's not that much better in the lower Holte, you've still got the refreshment kiosks right by the toilets right by the stand access points. As for outside, as dw says, the weather is likely to be cold and/or wet for a good two-thirds of a football season. Even yesterday, I wouldn't have bet against it pissing down at a moment's notice.

[Clampy]

Yesterday I took my own and sat on the Holte steps to have a drink. The current places to drink on my way to the ground are;

The Aston Tavern, £3 in and normally packed, difficult to get served.
Holte pub, I'm not a member of the Lions club.
The Holte Suite, by the time I arrive normally a queue.
The Ground, standing inside for an hour before kick off isn't of great appeal.

I think the club are missing a trick, alongside the burger wagon on the Holte car park, why not have a pop up beer wagon, selling just beer by the bottle.

The club could even put some seats around the perimeter of the car park.

There's also the Aston Social. I've not been in there for years so I've no idea what it's like on a match day now. You also have a Wetherspoons in Perry Barr which is a 2 minute train journey away or get there a bit earlier if possible and avoid the queue for the Holte Suite.

[SoccerHQ]

I think the club are missing a trick, alongside the burger wagon on the Holte car park, why not have a pop up beer wagon, selling just beer by the bottle.

The club could even put some seats around the perimeter of the car park.

Fine yesterday. Not so good in January.

Plenty of pubs have "temporary" structures outside with heaters. It certainly wouldn't be everyone's idea of fun, but I think there would be a market for it. 

I'd certainly consider it. For years we have drunk in pubs a couple of miles away from the ground then parked-up and got into our seats about a minute before kick-off. However, parking has become so difficult that you have to arrive at least an hour before the kick-off to get a space. Which means a lot of hanging around, neither the Holte Suite or the Holte Pub are great, but if you could go inside the ground and have a decent experience then we'd do it. And spend money with the club.

It's a car park. It's needed for corporates and as I said last week, parking is one of the biggest problems we have and the council aren't going to let us lose a single space.

With way Holte is raised from ground level an underground car park would've made sense just beyond the Holte Pub. Would've given more space for a fan zone in the area where the car park is.

If/when North is finally done I'm sure that will be part of the design as it is at likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and I presume Spurs.

Was in the Upper Trinity yesterday right at the top. No problem with the sightlines but again ridiculous queues at half time and with it being a sell out it felt pretty cramped as the leg room isn't great.

North Stand has excuse it's 40 years old, from not being fussed about New Trinity it really should've been built better and that's without the obvious of the beautiful facade just being destroyed.

[dave.woodhall]

I'm sure something could be done in the Holte and pathways to the doors could be kept free. The outside marquee could be an option on the other side of the ground.

The whole area is a route to the exits. They had the same problem a few years ago when they wanted to put temporary food outlets in the Trinity Lower. 

[London Villan]

With some thought (and maybe some investment in layout and facilities) I'm pretty confident that there are ways the experience inside the ground could be improved and ultimately earn the club more money. There are lots of examples at other sports and venues stadiums that have the same safety issues as Villa Park.

I think we are missing a trick, it just requires some initiative.

[TopDeck113]

What would Frederick Rinder do?

Quite possibly the same as Spurs and rebuild Villa Park as the greatest football stadium on the planet.