Commercial failings

[Villafirst]

What is the deal with the Holte Pub now. Is it open on match days? Over 20 years as a ST holder  and not had a single invite to see it. I think they used to invite ST holders?

[Clampy]

What is the deal with the Holte Pub now. Is it open on match days? Over 20 years as a ST holder  and not had a single invite to see it. I think they used to invite ST holders?

It's for Lions Club members now. You can normally walk in after the game though.

[Ger Regan]

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.

There's a movement towards specifying a maximum number of car parking spaces allowed, rather than minimum, certainly over here so probably similar in the uk, so in the long run this might not be a problem long term.

[purpletrousers]

What is the deal with the Holte Pub now. Is it open on match days? Over 20 years as a ST holder  and not had a single invite to see it. I think they used to invite ST holders?

It's for Lions Club members now. You can normally walk in after the game though.

What happened to the David Targett Suite Lions used to have?

Edit: https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/09/19/community-project-to-transform-villa-park-suite

Sounds great, but not the best use of space at the ground surely?

[Lastfootstamper]

...
What if we had the option of, for example, a new stadium with facilities like the new Spurs one, on the site of the wholesale markets in the city centre? What if we rebuilt Villa Park on the current location? The transport links to Aston are piss poor, what can be done to improve that?

I have always been firmly of the belief we should only ever play our games where we currently are, but now, if it becomes a question of competing or not, I am not too sure.

At the mo, the ground is in the narrow end of the Trinity Road/Witton Lane "wedge". As it's not my money, how's about, flatten the lot. Everything from The Holte beer garden to the back of the shop, Academy shed, the lot. Then, move the pitch 100 yards towards Witton, and rebuild round that. Stick the club shop and ticket office Holte end instead.

[chrisw1]

...
What if we had the option of, for example, a new stadium with facilities like the new Spurs one, on the site of the wholesale markets in the city centre? What if we rebuilt Villa Park on the current location? The transport links to Aston are piss poor, what can be done to improve that?

I have always been firmly of the belief we should only ever play our games where we currently are, but now, if it becomes a question of competing or not, I am not too sure.

At the mo, the ground is in the narrow end of the Trinity Road/Witton Lane "wedge". As it's not my money, how's about, flatten the lot. Everything from The Holte beer garden to the back of the shop, Academy shed, the lot. Then, move the pitch 100 yards towards Witton, and rebuild round that. Stick the club shop and ticket office Holte end instead.

This made sense to me until I looked at Google maps - it would still be incredibly tight. 
What also stands out is just how small a space they managed to squeeze the Witton stand into.  Obviously it pays for it with ridiculously poor facilities and an upper concourse tighter than a gnats chuff, but they did well to get that many seats in such a tight spot.

[Risso]

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.

They have outside catering areas, so the concourses at half time aren't nearly as crowded.  Obviously Elland Road isn't in the middle of a residential area, so they're a lot less constrained than we are.  I've been there twice this season in the home end, and both times getting served at half time was an absolute breeze.  There's also the fact there though, that three of the stands are small and shit, so it's only the big one that they need to worry about, and as I say, that's helped by having the outside areas.

[LeeB]

What would Frederick Rinder do?

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

This is the way to approach things.

I hate the thought of ever leaving Villa Park, but if it hampers ambition then the club back then wouldn't have thought twice.

[Lastfootstamper]

Tales from the Upper Trinity today...

Pre-match, in the queue. Shuffling along, get to the counter.
"Two coffees, a Coke and a Heineken, please.
"Sorry, we've got no hot water. You'll have to go to the other counter".
Honestly, a handwritten piece of A4 sellotaped on the front above the queueing masses informing people of this would've sufficed.

Half time, my brother takes his boy down to get chips. Queues up again, missed the first ten minutes of the second half. Orders the chips. "Cash only, the card machines aren't working". Again, absolutely fuck all to let you know of this til you're actually being served.

And while I'm venting, have this an' all. When he went to get our tickets for today, he came out through the club shop. There, on racks, were these tee-shirts they've had made for the play-offs.
"How much are these, mate?
"They're not for sale. They're not officially launched til tomorrow.
"But I'm here now. I have money.
"Sorry, you'll have to come back."

[KevinGage]

Sounds about right.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Shocking stuff - no way to run a business
I am Sure the owners  would be less than pleased if they were made aware of such abysmal " customer service"
The bit about not selling t shirts today was ridiculous

[GarTomas]

Hopefully given time it will improve.  The service for me is just too slow and contributes to the lack of space in the concourse.

I’m in the Witton Lane but at half time it’s near impossible to get anything and get back for the 2nd half to your seat so even if you don’t want an alcoholic drink it’s a non starter unless you leave your seat on 40 minutes.

[London Villan]

Massive queues to get in as well today. No idea what caused the holdup.

[GarTomas]

Massive queues to get in as well today. No idea what caused the holdup.

Extra searches and routing fans around certain roads?

[ChicagoLion]

Please write to the owners/ CEO