Pretty much summing up what we all already know. I am fed up of hearing about the stadium relocation now; we just need to something about it ASAP! Why oh why does the SW post code have to be such a bloody nuisance! I blame the foreigners 

There is nothing much remarkable about Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon where Chelsea will play their Champions League game on Tuesday night.

 

Errrrrr...... we're at home.

Having been to St James park yesterday, they seem to have similar exit situations as us, but they have a 55000 capacity, so perhaps to much is made of this?

Errrrrr...... we're at home.

Yep that article is about 6 weeks old now. Sam Wallace I think, he's been keeping a close eye on the Bridge stuff these past few years.

We should've gone all out for the battersea bid. That's where the battle was lost. What a force we would've been playing at home in an iconic part of London.

We should've gone all out for the battersea bid. That's where the battle was lost. What a force we would've been playing at home in an iconic part of London.

We already are...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2891485/Chelsea-set-buy-AFC-Wimbledon-s-Kingsmeadow-ground-youth-women-s-teams.html

 

 

Didn't want to make a new thread for this but looks like we're close to buying Kingstonian's ground for youth and women's games.

I saw that reported yesterday and the title of the article was "Chelsea finally agree stadium deal after lengthy talks" and i got excited, until i saw it was a stadium bought for the youth. It is a great, though, at least the academy has a stadium of it's own, and this seems to be a sign that we are serious about developing our youth. 

Just had a look at Google maps to check out the footprint of the Kingstonian ground. There appears to be a lot of surrounding land (except the graveyards) nearby. Could this be a pre cursor for a new stadium and a move away from Stamford Bridge. There is a South West station nearby (Berrylands) which would have to be totally redeveloped. It seems strange we want the youth teams to play away from Cobham. Can't really see big attendances on a week by week basis.

The architectural firm behind Munich’s striking Allianz Arena and Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” Olympic stadium is believed to be working on designs to revamp Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium.

 

After several proposals to move to locations within reasonable distance of their current home – including Earls Court, White City and Battersea Power Station - hit the buffers for a variety of reasons, Chelsea announced in June they were tentatively looking at proposals to increase the capacity at Stamford Bridge to nearer 60,000.

 

The Architects Journal has reported that Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss firm that designed the distinctive Allianz Arena, is now working with Lifshchutz Davidson Sandilands on the project.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/05/chelsea-stamford-bridge-birds-nest-architects

Looks like we're getting more serious with a study on exit pathways and now this. I get the feeling that any solution at the current site will be innovative which tends to lead to distinctive design choices. Exciting times ahead.

Thats good news

Maybe H&F council have finally budged a bit and allowed us to do some works that were previously blocked?

 

Maybe the decking over the railway lines has provisionally been given the green light which solves the issues of the stadium exits. 

 

I don't know if we would be looking to tear the whole stadium down and starting again or if we are looking to maybe knock down and rebuild 2 or 3 of the current stands.

 

You would assume the Shed End and the hotel is one of the main areas being looked at. 

Maybe H&F council have finally budged a bit and allowed us to do some works that were previously blocked?

 

Maybe the decking over the railway lines has provisionally been given the green light which solves the issues of the stadium exits. 

 

I don't know if we would be looking to tear the whole stadium down and starting again or if we are looking to maybe knock down and rebuild 2 or 3 of the current stands.

 

You would assume the Shed End and the hotel is one of the main areas being looked at. 

 

f**king Bates and his Village project. The only good thing about the hotel is the toilet on matchdays.

 

I've heard we've been very proactive with the local businesses so that they're onside. Need them with any petition to the council because of the money we bring in on a matchday. The conference facilities are also a big sell - we held one last year that I happened to attend and it had every big hitter you can imagine in the world of sport.

 

God knows how we go about expanding though. Egress is the first major hurdle simply because health and safety won't sign off on anything before that's solved. Then there's things like the bars and restaurants that might have leases (thinking Marco's but I'm not sure on who owns them and how their rent is done), the hotel and any future events that might be booked already.

 

I'm just excited about these little bits of news though. I'll leave the details down to people who are paid (a lot!) to deal with them.

Hope the redevelopment plans take into consideration safe standing areas.

Edited January 5, 201511 yr by the special one

f**king Bates and his Village project. The only good thing about the hotel is the toilet on matchdays.

 

I've heard we've been very proactive with the local businesses so that they're onside. Need them with any petition to the council because of the money we bring in on a matchday. The conference facilities are also a big sell - we held one last year that I happened to attend and it had every big hitter you can imagine in the world of sport.

 

God knows how we go about expanding though. Egress is the first major hurdle simply because health and safety won't sign off on anything before that's solved. Then there's things like the bars and restaurants that might have leases (thinking Marco's but I'm not sure on who owns them and how their rent is done), the hotel and any future events that might be booked already.

 

I'm just excited about these little bits of news though. I'll leave the details down to people who are paid (a lot!) to deal with them.

Good point about getting local businesses onside. Goodness knows how much money local pubs, restraurants etc make on match day. I and the others that I go the games with drink in the Goose before and after matches. Always busy on match day - must make a fortune.

 

As you say there's the issue of leases held by bars etc. Unless the club decides to buy them out.

 

I'm guessing that if the Bridge is re-developed that the remains of the old Shed Wall will be demolished - I could be wrong though. It would be a shame as it's a nice memory of the old Bridge but if needs must.

Agree with the special one. Even now, converting the shed and matthew harding into safe standing would increase their capacityfrom 16k, to maybe 23/24k? The demand to stand is certainly be there.

Edited January 5, 201511 yr by Shed

f**king Bates and his Village project. The only good thing about the hotel is the toilet on matchdays.

 

The really annoying thing is Colin Hutchinson reckoned we had permission for an extra 6000 seats in the Shed back when it was all re-developed. Instead of that we went for the Village.

So is the main obstacle the exits, rather than the space?

So is the main obstacle the exits, rather than the space?

Bit of both.

Logistics of building a 60k stadium on limited available space is difficult but to comply with the required H&S rules we to widen the existing exits from the ground or better yet add additional exits, which is where the decking over the railways would come in.

If we're granted permission to build the decking then the stadium expansion might follow.

So is the main obstacle the exits, rather than the space?

it always has been the main problem I think. Not only just the logistics of match day fans leaving as normal but more importantly emergency evacuation.

Edited January 5, 201511 yr by dkw

Not only just the logistics of match day fans leaving as normal but more importantly emergency evacuation.

....by Tottenham fans as Costa bangs in the sixth goal.

The really annoying thing is Colin Hutchinson reckoned we had permission for an extra 6000 seats in the Shed back when it was all re-developed. Instead of that we went for the Village.

 

Massively underrated guy is old Hutch because he seemed to be the voice of reason at that time but gets little credit. Have no idea of the financial benefits of the Village but would happily see it all demolished for a decent capacity.

 

Good point about getting local businesses onside. Goodness knows how much money local pubs, restraurants etc make on match day. I and the others that I go the games with drink in the Goose before and after matches. Always busy on match day - must make a fortune.

 

As you say there's the issue of leases held by bars etc. Unless the club decides to buy them out.

 

I'm guessing that if the Bridge is re-developed that the remains of the old Shed Wall will be demolished - I could be wrong though. It would be a shame as it's a nice memory of the old Bridge but if needs must.

 

So you're the f**kers blocking my way to the bar. Nice pub that one but been frequenting the Prince of Wales of late because it's easier to get served most weeks. Still their takings on matchdays must make up a lot of their business and they'd be loathe to lose us.

Edited January 5, 201511 yr by Blue Daze

So you're the f**kers blocking my way to the bar. Nice pub that one but been frequenting the Prince of Wales of late because it's easier to get served most weeks. Still their takings on matchdays must make up a lot of their business and they'd be loathe to lose us.

 

LOL

 

Have been in the Prince of Wales a few times - a good pub. Used to drink in the Lillie before moving to the Goose. We occasionally drink in Lloyds bar in the Station but have found there is never enough staff serving which is strange given how busy it gets. Agree, there are times when it's difficult to get served in the Goose.

 

We're lucky with the number of pubs near the ground. Plenty of choice. Especially when compared to other clubs.

I find Lloyds incredibly soulless considering how many people are in there, no atmosphere at all.  Brogans has singing and good ale but is quite expensive.  Does the Goose have decent beer and singing?  Might give it a try if it does.