Villa Park Redevelopment

[kippaxvilla2]

Is the Warehouse scheduled to finish on time?

[Dante Lavelli]

There’s been a load of charts showing the relative paucity of supporter match day spend.

Not seen these.  please share.

I wonder whether some pubs will convert to away fans once the Warehouse opens

[Percy McCarthy]

Has anyone seen the YouTube episode from the Bournemouth Fan who rates all the grounds that they visit? They love Villa Park, but scored it very low for drinking around the ground. I know the Warehouse will be completed soon, so that will help somewhat, but will away fans be allowed in? That could get a bit messy! But, the surrounding area is in desperate need of development, and I feel that this is the only black mark against Villa Park. Maybe the club will need to think about developing an area for away fans to drink/eat in? The Bournemouth guy was saying that they most of them stayed in the City Centre until close to kick off time, and even mentioned the Yenton in Erdington. Now, I love the Yenton, but it's not really close to Villa Park.

I know it may be pie in the sky, but the sports quarter will obviously be a venue for a lot of visitors to Birmingham which will be taking some revenue away from us. I know it will be impossible to redevelop the whole area, but in the long run providing safe spaces for home and away fans in the vicinity of the ground needs to be looked at.

I’d wonder, if it became available, if buying the Aston Hotel might be the answer. Either segregated or away fans only for matchdays, little food court out the back … then as an extension of the warehouse outside of that.

I'm not being funny but it's not the clubs responsibility to provide anywhere for away fans to drink. I'm happy that pubs around the ground are home pubs only. There's plenty of pubs in town where they can go and get the train to Witton. Another good option for them is the JQ. Loads of good pubs and cheap enough to get taxis to drop them close to VP.

You’re right it isn’t the club’s responsibility - but it’s another lost revenue stream- the same as limited options to upsell the majority of supporters across the 4 stands.

There’s been a load of charts showing the relative paucity of supporter match day spend.

Yes. We’re flying on broadcast and academy income, really good on player trading, lagging behind on matchday income and commercial.

[pauliewalnuts]

There’s been a load of charts showing the relative paucity of supporter match day spend.

Not seen these.  please share.

I wonder whether some pubs will convert to away fans once the Warehouse opens

Ive seen the figures too, it is a clear area for improvement.

FWIW I think the Warehouse will be open to away fans, too, and hope it is.

It's not 1985 any more, we should be able to handle that.

[Chris Harte]

Is the plan to dismantle the current Fanzone when the new beer hall is built and ready to open?

I think it would be a shame if so.

[VILLA MOLE]

Absolutely if we can .  I love seeing away fans come to the holte have their photo taken outside the steps and having a wonder around

[amfy]

There’s been a load of charts showing the relative paucity of supporter match day spend.

Not seen these.  please share.

I wonder whether some pubs will convert to away fans once the Warehouse opens

Ive seen the figures too, it is a clear area for improvement.

FWIW I think the Warehouse will be open to away fans, too, and hope it is.

It's not 1985 any more, we should be able to handle that.

The kids fanzone was always open to away fans as well. I really liked that the 2 sets of kids could play together and learn early that the other team’s fans are not actually your mortal enemy.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's pretty poor away fans have nothing near the ground. Saying they can drink in town is far from ideal. Take the last game, Bournemouth fans spend what, 3 hours travelling to VP, they then have to leave VP, pay more and take more time to go into Brum and then head back to where they were.

[adrenachrome]

It's pretty poor away fans have nothing near the ground. Saying they can drink in town is far from ideal. Take the last game, Bournemouth fans spend what, 3 hours travelling to VP, they then have to leave VP, pay more and take more time to go into Brum and then head back to where they were.

I agree.

I can remember when the away fans drank in The Vine. They were usually sound.

[cdbearsfan]

It's pretty poor away fans have nothing near the ground. Saying they can drink in town is far from ideal. Take the last game, Bournemouth fans spend what, 3 hours travelling to VP, they then have to leave VP, pay more and take more time to go into Brum and then head back to where they were.

Sure, so why would you want to spend what little time you have available in an identikit rammed pub near the ground that's exactly the same as all the other rammed pubs near football grounds when you could have a pleasant drink in the city centre instead?

[PeterWithesShin]

Half the pubs in town are indentikit and shit. And no different to the WA, Yew Tree etc.

[amfy]

It's pretty poor away fans have nothing near the ground. Saying they can drink in town is far from ideal. Take the last game, Bournemouth fans spend what, 3 hours travelling to VP, they then have to leave VP, pay more and take more time to go into Brum and then head back to where they were.

Sure, so why would you want to spend what little time you have available in an identikit rammed pub near the ground that's exactly the same as all the other rammed pubs near football grounds when you could have a pleasant drink in the city centre instead?

I guess because some fans like a pleasant drink in the city centre, and have that option, but others love to go to a rammed identikit pub near the ground. I know amongst our own fans we have that variation of tastes.

[dave.woodhall]

It's pretty poor away fans have nothing near the ground. Saying they can drink in town is far from ideal. Take the last game, Bournemouth fans spend what, 3 hours travelling to VP, they then have to leave VP, pay more and take more time to go into Brum and then head back to where they were.

Sure, so why would you want to spend what little time you have available in an identikit rammed pub near the ground that's exactly the same as all the other rammed pubs near football grounds when you could have a pleasant drink in the city centre instead?

Because people like identikit pubs and away football supporters particularly like brilliant pubs packed full of....  In all my time peddling my wares on Witton Lane I must have been asked for the away pub a hundred times for every one I was asked for the best pub.

[PeterWithesShin]

Some people would perfer to get off a coach after a 3 hour journey and go somewhere close for a sit down and drink. Not have to travel into a city they don't know to find somewhere. It's easy for us knowing where is decent in town, not so much for some old boy from Bournemouth.

[Stu]

It's pretty poor away fans have nothing near the ground. Saying they can drink in town is far from ideal. Take the last game, Bournemouth fans spend what, 3 hours travelling to VP, they then have to leave VP, pay more and take more time to go into Brum and then head back to where they were.

Sure, so why would you want to spend what little time you have available in an identikit rammed pub near the ground that's exactly the same as all the other rammed pubs near football grounds when you could have a pleasant drink in the city centre instead?

I guess because some fans like a pleasant drink in the city centre, and have that option, but others love to go to a rammed identikit pub near the ground. I know amongst our own fans we have that variation of tastes.

Amf, you mean Jane. Just say Jane.