The Holte Suite

[Clampy]

I would imagine the vast majority of Villa fans either don't know about it, or if they do, don't give that much of a fuck about it.

More likely the latter. They've promoted this so much it's likely you'd have to be a fan on top of Mt Everest without an internet signal for the last fortnight to not know about this.

BTW, benches? I was expecting it to be a leather armchair each. Not benches.

It looks like the Mandela Bar at Newcastle Polytechnic 1987, except with some big screens added.

The screens thing is weird, it's like they thought, "shit, what do we put here? what do fans really like? I know, they like sport, let's get a job lot down Curry's, that'll do it".

I not sure why they have put big screens up. The place was already full of a television screens anyway.

[VILLA MOLE]

I am so disappointed the Club have gone down this road with The Holte

I feel they would have had far less grief if they had converted the Witton Lane to a more corporate area even if it meant reducing the capacity 

[wittonwarrior]

Its the most talked about Villa matter, with the possible exception of Emery ranking games.

[womble]

They're not scabs. To be a scab you have to cross a picker line or take the work of others who have withdrawn their labour.

Those giving out to them are doing so under the assumption of the TV and LG attendees know what that means. I doubt that assumption applies to all of them.

[Ads]

Well the word is a 600 year old insult, with late 19/early 20th century reconstitution to the very rigid definition the denizens on here wish to impose. You don't turn left when you enter the Holte. Corporate, velvet rope offerings now has its place, but not in the Holte; not at the expense of the mass of support whose exprience was lacking as it was, but which has now worsened. The line has been crossed and if you fund it directly, be it Terrace View or Lower Grounds, you're part of the problem.

The Terrace View is booed after every game by the mass of ordinary upper Holte Enders descending the stairs. There was a bit of a minor altercation at half time between an oldish chap and a Terrace Viewer. Discontent is building.

The Lower Grounds is booed when advertised. A2 and P2 (I believe) being empty due to the lack of demand, adds two more stands where ordinary supporters are unable to purchase tickets, because the ugly Tarquinisation of B6 is underway. It looked daft on Saturday. Not that Heck/club care/listen. But hey, good news, you get to stand on tarmac in the elements instead.

[astonvilla82]

Well the word is a 600 year old insult, with late 19/early 20th century reconstitution to the very rigid definition the denizens on here wish to impose. You don't turn left when you enter the Holte. Corporate, velvet rope offerings now has its place, but not in the Holte; not at the expense of the mass of support whose exprience was lacking as it was, but which has now worsened. The line has been crossed and if you fund it directly, be it Terrace View or Lower Grounds, you're part of the problem.

The Terrace View is booed after every game by the mass of ordinary upper Holte Enders descending the stairs. There was a bit of a minor altercation at half time between an oldish chap and a Terrace Viewer. Discontent is building.

The Lower Grounds is booed when advertised. A2 and P2 (I believe) being empty due to the lack of demand, adds two more stands where ordinary supporters are unable to purchase tickets, because the ugly Tarquinisation of B6 is underway. It looked daft on Saturday. Not that Heck/club care/listen. But hey, good news, you get to stand on tarmac in the elements instead.

Got better things to worry about then a few so-called scabs

[Ads]

As demonstrated by replying to messages on a thread dedicated to discontent on corporate offerings in the Holte at 20 past 10 on a Sunday.

Apologies for interrupting your date with Jennifer Lawrence!

[gpbarr]

I am massively disappointed they’ve instituted these facilities, but really, using words like “scabs” is the kind of ridiculous histrionics you’d expect from a newly radicalised first year politics student, not someone who is clearly very intelligent and should know better.

Well said. i have seen many stupid statements but calling fellow Villa fans who choose to spend their hard earned money this way is a very, very low point. Your anger is mis-directed and frankly, surprised the mods are allowing it.

[astonvilla82]

As demonstrated by replying to messages on a thread dedicated to discontent on corporate offerings in the Holte at 20 past 10 on a Sunday.

Apologies for interrupting your date with Jennifer Lawrence!

apologies accepted

[astonvilla82]

I am massively disappointed they’ve instituted these facilities, but really, using words like “scabs” is the kind of ridiculous histrionics you’d expect from a newly radicalised first year politics student, not someone who is clearly very intelligent and should know better.

Well said. i have seen many stupid statements but calling fellow Villa fans who choose to spend their hard earned money this way is a very, very low point. Your anger is mis-directed and frankly, surprised the mods are allowing it.

same here

[Nev]

I had a glance over at the Terrace View fans as I walked up the Holte Steps on Saturday and to be honest, they looked like ordinary punters. But they are punters who can afford premium prices in the part of our ground that has never had such a huge price disparity before, that is the heart of support for the Club and a totem for the identity of both the Club and the ground where so many others have lost theirs. It's started with TV, continued with LG and you can guarantee that it won't stop there. Areas of seating will become premium, not to mention other parts of the concourse and we can go and stand in the fucking car park at half time if we're not prepared to pay more money on top of the cost of a ticket.

I don't see anything other than the end of the Holte End as we know it and Villa Park will never be the same. Progress it may be, necessary according to some in order for us to progress but I've never felt less engaged as a fan.

[Ads]

Jeeeesus, really? Daddy the man said a word!

The point is that they're allowed to spend their money this way.

This is like the Upside Down. If the Villa decided to rip out all the toilets on the lower right side of the Upper Holte for an exclusive titty bar offering, some berks would still pay for it and it would be their choice to do so; there should not be a choice, that's the point. No velvet rope. There's no social or economic division on the Holte- only now there is. But good news! Yes you now have to pay £60 for that thing that's been free for 2 decades, even under poundland Monty Burns, Man Child Trustfund baby and lunatic shit shoe front man- but it's fine; you get to stand in a car park soon. The Holy of Holies has been defiled and its rank.

It's also sad that we are just the fucking same as all the other loathsome shit out there. We kinda already suspected, but now there's no doubt and its a shame. I dread to think how much the season tickets will cost next year.

Edit: Nev and I both propping up the same side of the bar in this argument, so you know this is bad times when we agree.

[Pete3206]

The current 1874 membership in the Witton works out at £15 per game. I expect that to rocket up in price next season as the club expand these hospitality schemes.

[PeterWithesShin]

I can only see both TV and LG losing money for a while. Zrinjsk, West Ham, Luton, Alkmaar, Fulham are hardly big draws for casual fans where those areas may be the only options to get a ticket. 3 blocks around the ground all with a load of unsold seats, takings in the areas down, the costs of the renovations. I'm guessing their big hope is the demand once the North goes. But I can't see it being a big money earner between now and the North being done. Which kind of defeats the point of them.

[Pat McMahon]

There were some chants and insults aimed at those going into the lower grounds after the game. It feels weird having Villa fans insulting other fans outside the Holte.