The Holte Suite

[AV84]

Just a thought, but the text from the story about the Lower Grounds on the club website mentions before and after the game, but nothing about half time. Could it possibly be available to regular ST holders at half-time? If not, then what will it be used for at this time?

I just don't see a scenario where the club don't want the tills ringing in there at half time.

It says from x before to x after.... I'd assume that includes all of the time in-between?

[Nev]

Half time doesn't sound practical if you're sitting in the Trinity or Witton Lane, by the time you got back to the Holte Suite you'd have to turn 'round to make your way back again.

Perhaps it will be open but I can't see "normal" fans being allowed any access.

[London Villan]

No good if your seat is in the Witton Upper.

[VillaTim]

"The Lower Grounds will open its doors to a fan-focused experience, which will include food and drinks as part of the package, for the first time against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, September 30.

Located in the former Holte Suite, the Lower Grounds will be open from three hours before kick-off and up to 90 minutes post-match, supporters will be able to take advantage of all-you-can-eat street food as well as a range of beers, wines and soft drinks* while mingling with former players and watching pre-match build-up, interviews and classic matches on large media screens in a convivial atmosphere."

Just a thought, but the text from the story about the Lower Grounds on the club website mentions before and after the game, but nothing about half time. Could it possibly be available to regular ST holders at half-time? If not, then what will it be used for at this time?

I just don't see a scenario where the club don't want the tills ringing in there at half time.

No chance

[Lastfootstamper]

Unpopular opinion I guess but I'd stopped going in the Holte Suite because of the queue to get in , the age it took to get a drink , most times there was nowhere to sit , there just seemed zero point. The only benefit was it was free, but I could just go in the Lower Holte, where catering is pretty good now, and its easy to get a beer 0 and there's nowhere to sit there either but no worse off.

So if  there's an option to pay to use a facility that is a positive experience then I might use it, maybe 2 or 3 times a season, when I know I can get there early and then go in again to let the traffic clear after. Yes it's dear but it's cheap compared to say, a corporate ticket at a concert, which I also like to do now and again.

Just because something is free, doesn't mean its any good. Usually the opposite.

It wasn't free, it was one of the benefits of buying a ST and when I bought mine in the summer it was on the understanding that I could gain access, depending on availability, to the HS. As I had for the previous two seasons that I held a ST. Would I have given up my ST if they had announced the change to the HS? No, of course not, but it would've been nice to be informed about the change and I think that's what's at the heart of this really. The extraordinary arrogance of the Club towards the fans who don't have the sort of money needed to access enhanced facilities, and the appalling state of the facilities in the UH where I sit.

Yes I do get that, and understand that it feels like, for those that used it, something has been taken away. I just dont think it added much, but thats just a personal opinion.

Like it or not, this is how the clubs we aspire to be on a level with make their money.

I can't speak about the facilities anywhere other then the Lower Holte as thats where I sit, but they have improved out of all recognition in the last 12 months, I would assume that it's in the plan to do this everywhere else too.

Do they take away existing facilities to do so, or do they add things like a new ground or a stand to put them in?

As for your final point, what's the holdup in the rest of the ground? I'm a longstanding sufferer of the UT, a stand whose facilities were clearly designed in the expectation that that particular section of the ground would rarely, if ever, be even close to full.

[itmustbe_it is!]

If I was the owners and I cast an eye over this forum (unlikely I know) then I'd paraphrase the site like this :

• We are a massive club, with a great fanbase, we need to be competing with the likes of Man U, City, Liverpool, etc and the likes of Spurs and the Arse shouldn't even be on the same pitch
• Why haven't we spent more millions on players like the above clubs do
• These owners are great, they're going to take us where we need to be
• They're really business savvy, they'll bring the money in and then we can invest and get Champions League
• Shit - have you seen we can't use that bar we use a couple of times a year, where you have to queue for 20 minutes to get a beer - thats not on - bloody prawn sandwich brigade going to be in there - that's our bloody heritage they're taking away
• Bloody love Emery I do .....but why the hell have we got 2 keepers on the bench again?

[RamboandBruno]

Unpopular opinion I guess but I'd stopped going in the Holte Suite because of the queue to get in , the age it took to get a drink , most times there was nowhere to sit , there just seemed zero point. The only benefit was it was free, but I could just go in the Lower Holte, where catering is pretty good now, and its easy to get a beer 0 and there's nowhere to sit there either but no worse off.

So if  there's an option to pay to use a facility that is a positive experience then I might use it, maybe 2 or 3 times a season, when I know I can get there early and then go in again to let the traffic clear after. Yes it's dear but it's cheap compared to say, a corporate ticket at a concert, which I also like to do now and again.

Just because something is free, doesn't mean its any good. Usually the opposite.

It wasn't free, it was one of the benefits of buying a ST and when I bought mine in the summer it was on the understanding that I could gain access, depending on availability, to the HS. As I had for the previous two seasons that I held a ST. Would I have given up my ST if they had announced the change to the HS? No, of course not, but it would've been nice to be informed about the change and I think that's what's at the heart of this really. The extraordinary arrogance of the Club towards the fans who don't have the sort of money needed to access enhanced facilities, and the appalling state of the facilities in the UH where I sit.

Yes I do get that, and understand that it feels like, for those that used it, something has been taken away. I just dont think it added much, but thats just a personal opinion.

Like it or not, this is how the clubs we aspire to be on a level with make their money.

I can't speak about the facilities anywhere other then the Lower Holte as thats where I sit, but they have improved out of all recognition in the last 12 months, I would assume that it's in the plan to do this everywhere else too.

I sit in the lower holte and have done for years and they really haven’t improved that much. The queing and appalling service have been somewhat improved by the pre order machines and the small bar where you tab your debit card. But its a slightly improved queing system before the game, not at half time, for the same shite service and fair on offer.

Nevs point is exactly right. If I’m honest im not that bothered about losing the three of four visits to the holte suite a season, but it was part of the season ticket and they should of told season ticket holders before.

Did they say it would be included this year? or just not say it wouldn't?

I dont know about your LH experience, I dont try and get a drink at half time (though when I get my prematch food and drink, it asks me to preorder for half time - does that not help?) but before the game I think its very good - food is good, there no queue to order at the machine or collect the drinks and food, its fine.

Its maybe better before the game, but it couldnt get much worse to be honest, i tend to get there 45 mins or so before k/o so the ques were never massive then, so hard to tell of any real improvement. . Id debate that the food and drink are good, its still crap lager and over priced for what it is, with a lack of choice. Spurs and Arsenal both have quality pre poured beers for more or less the same price. The pre order for half time, which i do use, is better if you leave your seat 5 mins before half time, if not its swapped one type of que for another. As has been discussed many times on this site, if they pre poured loads of pints before the build up to half time, this could be completely resolved, but like most aspects of the concourse experience, nobody can be arsed to organise the staff to do this.

[Percy McCarthy]

The Holte Suite is no more. It’s now the Lower Grounds.

£60 for the Brighton game as an ‘opening offer’. £120 if you want a match ticket too.

Unlimited street food.

Fuck off.

Was the Rat Pan called The Lower Grounds at some point?

I can’t remember if it was the Upper or Lower. I got it wrong in my book, was told so by dozens of people, and corrected it for the Old Dogs Books-published version. (Which has an extra chapter in the latest edition, for people who pay an extra couple of quid - true story)

[Percy McCarthy]

https://www.mancity.com/hospitality/the-tunnel-club?cohort=GB_out_#the-tunnel-club

All the "big" clubs do it. Close to action, see the players up close, get a selfie, tell them they've had a sh*te game!

They have a restaurant named after Joe. He’s made quite the impression. We could absolutely cane them on the off-site hospitality by the way. 5 michelljn stars, although I doubt Glynn Purnell would be on board, Chelmsley bluenose that he is.

[Risso]

https://www.mancity.com/hospitality/the-tunnel-club?cohort=GB_out_#the-tunnel-club

All the "big" clubs do it. Close to action, see the players up close, get a selfie, tell them they've had a sh*te game!

I was in there for our away match last season. It was very good to be fair.

[Percy McCarthy]

I’d love it if all this pissing the fans off the Villa are doing led to viable business cases for re-opening the old boozers near the ground. You’d think the club might even be interested in the Aston Hotel and the Rat Pan.

[villabear]

I’d love it if all this pissing the fans off the Villa are doing led to viable business cases for re-opening the old boozers near the ground. You’d think the club might even be interested in the Aston Hotel and the Rat Pan.

tbh when I saw the lower grounds I thought they meant the rat pan.

[VillaTim]

I’d love it if all this pissing the fans off the Villa are doing led to viable business cases for re-opening the old boozers near the ground. You’d think the club might even be interested in the Aston Hotel and the Rat Pan.

The Brittania , if I had some backing I'd lob to open that again.
And the The Swan & Mitre.
Beautiful buildings that will be gone forever

[Percy McCarthy]

I’d love it if all this pissing the fans off the Villa are doing led to viable business cases for re-opening the old boozers near the ground. You’d think the club might even be interested in the Aston Hotel and the Rat Pan.

The Brittania , if I had some backing I'd lob to open that again.
And the The Swan & Mitre.
Beautiful buildings that will be gone forever

Hope not but sadly I think you’re right.

[Axl Rose]

Have some memories of being in the Ratpan with my dad as a kid (I believe so, anyway, looking at the photos of the place)

Typed the Ratpan into Google and came across this photo. Some great flags, there! Deportivo La Coruna away in 93 I reckon: