Stadium Expansion - Bushey Hall

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by Stevohorn, Jul 13, 2019.

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For or against a new stadium at Bushey (see post #558)

  1. For

    102 vote(s)
    59.0%
  2. Against

    71 vote(s)
    41.0%
  1. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    In fairness, they're not doing it at the moment. There's been nothing official from the club about it. But it makes perfect sense to make sure when/if the right time does come around that they've already done the scoping and design work and have a plan ready to go.
     
    FromDiv4 and Dennis_Booth like this.
  2. Knight GT

    Knight GT Predictor extraordinaire 2013/14

    This is years away from happening. Their just investigating the possibility at the moment
     
    Dennis_Booth likes this.
  3. domthehornet

    domthehornet Moderator Staff Member

    I'd say we are still a few years away from the need for it. The fan base isn't there just yet.
     
  4. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Obviously we don't know the business case yet. But what would you say would be a sign our fan base was where it needed to be?
     
  5. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    And it might be possible to actually see the screens so you know when there’s a VAR review going on...
     
  6. domthehornet

    domthehornet Moderator Staff Member

    A larger fan base truthfully, we struggled to sell out our allocation for the fa cup final, expanding to a stadium not far off our allocation that day now seems a bit daft.
     
  7. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    I’m inclined to be cautious about using any of our recent Wembley games as a guide. Obviously we can’t discount them, but we’re presumably not going to be charging £80+ a seat at a new stadium and could do away with all the categories which prevent people sitting with mates/family. I wouldn’t be shocked when/if the club ever publicly makes the case for a new stadium the Wembley experiences will be the ‘reasons to do it’ column rather than the opposite.
     
  8. Dennis_Booth

    Dennis_Booth Reservist

    Lots of people quote, we didn't sell out this or that. There are thousands of supporters that can't go every week because they just can't justify the cost. This particularly applies to to the extortionate prices that the FA charge for semi-finals let alone the final. The board will have spent a lot of time looking at all of the facts before even contemplating a move.

    IMO the club can and will grow its fan base and a new stadium in 5 years time will certainly help that.
     
    Espadrilles likes this.
  9. zztop

    zztop Eurovision Winner 2015

    But why behave as though our current fan base is our limit. We can grow our fan base, that is the point of a bigger stadium.

    I had a season ticket for years, even when I was living up in here in Nottingham, but due to family commitments I can't go so often now. But I would travel down from Nottingham for often than I do if I could get tickets more easily, and if I could sit with my friends or family. Instead I go to more away games than home games, and Watford don't benefit at all. There must a be a lot of people like me that enjoy watching football but cannot commit to every other Saturday. So to me, a 35k ground with a regular 30k attendance would be great. But, as I've said many time's on here before, we can go bigger than that, and attract fans from all over London and around the M25, and up the M4, M42, M23, M11 and M1.

    Someone said that we have the disadvantage of being a small town on the edge of a big city. But I see that as a huge advantage when compared with the likes of Brighton, Southampton, Derby and Leicester, who are all on one motorway but not easily accessible from it apart from Derby, and are not easy to get to from the main railway station that serves Birmingham, MK and London, and do not sit at one end of the underground system, and are not within 30 minutes drive from six motorways.

    And being on the edge of London is a huge draw for potential players.
     
  10. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    With the large increased capacity at the ‘London’ Stadium, West Ham have been able to fill it by charging lower tickets prices. Of course, all those extra people are not traditional West Ham fans.
     
  11. Diamond

    Diamond First Team

    Ok then let's simplify it further. All 21,000 aren't coming through town are they? Think about it, there is another direction people currently travel in from that will not be possible if the ground is moved. Now think about how often over 50 people travel to a hospital at the same time?

    I don't want to argue the toss with you but trying to score an easy few likes because you don't get the point is a little odd in my book.
     
  12. no way we’re staying up

    no ones going to be building a new stadium for the foreseeable
     
  13. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Might as well move back to Cassio Road. Utterly embarrassing effort and performance.
     
    Happy bunny likes this.
  14. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    Looks like we're gonna need to shrink the stadium instead
     
    Happy bunny likes this.
  15. scummybear

    scummybear Reservist

    I've been pointing out people's inconsistencies on here for over a decade, they don't usually get many likes so that theory doesn't add up. It's odd how defensive you're getting considering it's yourself you're arguing with.

    My point is, you walk yet you say the parking is good at present. How would you know, you walk?
    I used to come in by the A41/M25 junction, it'd be queued from the petrol station near the motorway all the way to the Holywell. On the way back out it'd be stationary at Charlock Way, pick up until the college and then slow all the way to the M25. This was when we were getting about 12,000 so I'd hate to see what it's like now.
    Then we switched to waiting until Vicarage Road was open again, cutting through Watford Fields and coming up the dual carriageway to the M1. On the way out we'd a) wait for a while before leaving, then b) queue by the fire station and up the hill on the way to the M1.
    Now we park near Bushey station, a longer walk but by the time we get there it's clearer and going out along Aldenham Road there's comparatively little traffic. Unfortunately parking is more limited, so we have to arrive much earlier to be sure we get a space.
    I've also had to go in/out the Rickmansworth way a few times, it's much more fluid but the roads are a lot windier and feel like they take longer (but about the same). Sat Nav from Heathrow direction actually directs us down the A41, which is a bloody nightmare.

    So apologies if I don't have much sympathy for you having a longer walk, or actually driving. I'm sure there are people on the east side of town now who have either a long walk or have to drive, it's swings and roundabouts.
     
    The Voice of Reason likes this.
  16. AndrewH63

    AndrewH63 Reservist

    I think this is another reason why Bushey hall would work. The scheme would leaver in the opening of the park and ride car park at J5 of the M1. part of Herts County Councils principle schemes in its transport plan. The council is skint so developer led contributions is going to be critical to delivery of the capital investment in transport infrastructure.
     
  17. Diamond

    Diamond First Team

    Time for this thread to be bumped. I have to apologise to everyone I annoyed earlier, I was completely wrong. There will be ample parking and access due to no other ****** stupid enough to watch us anymore.
     
  18. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

  19. 3000

    3000 Reservist

    Vicarage Road is the only form of identity this club still has.
     
    Bubble likes this.
  20. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    I think we should aim to find our identity again by playing in Division Three again. Marvellous trips to Macclesfield Town and Newport County. Lincoln too. Just what the great man GT always strove to move this club away from to a modern club on and off the pitch. He was quite happy for the club to move to a new stadium in the early eighties as he was less than impressed by the ground due to the intransigence of the local morons that inhabit and still inhabit the council.
     
    lutonh8a likes this.
  21. Elton tried to move the stadium in the 80s and the council weren’t interested back then either. For better or worse we’re stuck where we are. If we ever get back to the riches of the prem perhaps the only practical approach would be to buy back the corners and knock the flats down, and start buying up surrounding houses to limit planning objections.
     
  22. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    A few brown envelopes to the planning department never hurts.
     
  23. RookeryLad

    RookeryLad Reservist

    The way the economy is going, especially with reference to town centre retail, the council may need some big projects for local stimulus over say a 5 year period.

    That may help wave it through planning.

    Relegation will put the brakes on unfortunately unless there is a 3rd party investor or a very creative loan structure that will enable them to finance it regardless of division.
     
  24. RookeryLad

    RookeryLad Reservist

    Sadly the championship envelopes may not be heavy enough.
     
  25. Bubble

    Bubble Wise Oracle

    Great point. Moving stadiums now would be the last nail in our coffin!

    GT would be turning in his grave with what's going on at our circus of a club!
     
  26. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    We could hope but at the moment with a return to the Chumpionship it will be another long haul back to the PL. If we had stayed up and we may still if there is a miracle then another couple of seasons of slow growth we could justify it. Given the finances at the moment as well it looks like a long shot.
     
  27. RookeryLad

    RookeryLad Reservist

    This is why I am so damn annoyed with the mismanagement of the club over the last few years. Entirely self inflicted and potentially putting a excellent opportunity to develop the club into the long grass.

    A chance for our children and grand Children to proudly support a excellent family club with a modern, purpose built family centric stadium, regardless if that was still in the premiership (or whatever iteration it will be then).
     
    Smudger likes this.
  28. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Just a bit more common sense in the transfer market addressing weaknesses no complacency and we should have finished in midtable. As I said even if we finished 15th each season but grew a little on and off the pitch each season. New stadium, improving youth recruitment and coaching, higher category academy and financially stable that would be great.
     
  29. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    I chatted to a West Ham supporting mate who lives in that area who said that he thinks a stadium in the area is a great idea on paper. That all of the issues that have been assigned to it are easily overcome and it could regenerate the area and he'd be really behind the idea. If he didn't live near there himself.

    Local people don't want their localities to change. That's the real objection. The rest of the 'evidence' is pretty irrelevant.
     
  30. King Dev

    King Dev Squad Player

    How anybody can support a soulless, identikit bowl regardless of division is beyond me. We have such a unique stadium which we don't fill, I hate this club.
     
    3000 likes this.
  31. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Depends on how it is created. With sympathy and nod to the past and future or just an identikit stadium. I think we could do the former and still move the club forward. Might be delayed a few years now though.
     
  32. King Dev

    King Dev Squad Player

    I can guarantee it would be the latter. Would just be another Reading/Coventry/whoever
     
  33. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Probably. Still we cannot sit still although thanks to Don Gino this will not be happening for a while now. They need to learn to walk before they run.
     
  34. King Dev

    King Dev Squad Player

    Yeah, honestly if we have the money to build a stadium, even if loan funded, how on earth is the team this ****.
     
  35. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Arrogance and complacency. A structure of management that clearly does not work. Recruitment domestically that is appallingly bad. A medical department below par. Dreadful on crucial basics of the game like set pieces. You have to keep running just to stand still in the PL. Gino thought a little bit of a patch here and there would do. Player power and too much over paid dross. The amount Gray is paid would suffice to buy 2 Salisu's.
     
    RMT79 likes this.

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