[Albion] New fan zone - "The Terrace"

[nickbrighton]

Ever since thew Amex opened there have been lots of requests for better facilities outside the stadium. Toilets, food, cover from weather. As far as I can see this is exactly what the Terrace gives us, and as an added bonus it will help a little with somewhere to go should the queues be too long.
I really cant see a downside here-its a win-win yet the apparent tone of some posts is that because it doesn't solve the insolvable how to you transport 30 000 people with no waiting, no queues, no guaranteed dry weather and that the club will gain financially (eventually after the cost is recuperated) then this is somehow a bad thing solely there to line the clubs pockets and screw us fans over.

I think its an excellent addition to the facilities, and looks like it will benefit the fans, and the club.

 

[jackanada]

Lets face it all well and good if it helps travel a little but the reason it will be there is to increase income stream

Be interesting to see how much non match day use it gets as the only way it will generate significant extra revenue will be hosting events too small for opening up the stadium, or particularly big events using the whole complex.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Does the sign on that carriage say Carnie Stadium? If this is a joint venture with Palace to build a monorail between the two stadiums I hope we’ve asked for their contribution up front.

Nah - they have ringfenced money for their new main stand.

Same time they launch their new kit.

 

[chaileyjem]

Two separate subjects.

New Fanzone - wonderful, great, brilliant - but not sure at 10.00pm how many will use it after evening games when the biggest problem is....

It would, iIMO, cost a lot less to cover the P&R queues and teach stewards how to load coaches and busses quicker - plus some management of traffic lights etc...

I've no idea but 745 or 8pm games are relatively rare and for the last two games have been routine in terms of getaways. Better some would argue that 3pms .

Of course spending on the other issues would be a lot less . It can't be money then ? I think arguing the club refrain from issues like this doesn't hold up. They just spent millions making the ground more blue and white and installing video screens. Arguably the fanzone is a lot of money to spend on presumably thousands over a season who will just use the toilets and sit on the tables out of the rain - so presumably its either out of their hands, there's not an easy solution, or there's a trade off we're not aware of.

 

[schmunk]

I've no idea but 745 or 8pm games are relatively rare and for the last two games have been routine in terms of getaways. Better some would argue that 3pms .

Getting the train back to Lewes against Chelsea last weekend was the worst delay at Falmer station I've experienced in ages.

It was however made palatable due to the antics of the absolute MELTS of Chelsea fans at the Brighton end of the Brighton platform and the massive pelters they were getting.

Bonus Chef's Kiss as their train pulled up and they were standing about 2 carriage lengths ahead of the front of the train. Womp Womp.

 

[chaileyjem]

Getting the train back to Lewes against Chelsea last weekend was the worst delay at Falmer station I've experienced in ages.

It was however made palatable due to the antics of the absolute MELTS of Chelsea fans at the Brighton end of the Brighton platform and the massive pelters they were getting.

Bonus Chef's Kiss as their train pulled up and they were standing about 2 carriage lengths ahead of the front of the train. Womp Womp.

i had a drink in the North Stand so stayed there post match for 30/40 minutes. And then walked straight onto the platform, and was on a train to Lewes - where i had a seat ! - within about 10 mins.

 

[Hotchilidog]

i had a drink in the North Stand so stayed there post match for 30/40 minutes. And then walked straight onto the platform, and was on a train to Lewes - where i had a seat ! - within about 10 mins.

I thought getting back on Friday was pretty easy, just stayed behind for the one pint as I had an urgent need for TUACA which I can only get in the pub. Walked straight on to the platform a good 20 minutes earlier than I normally do for mideweek matches. I can only imagine this was because most of the Chelsea fans were probably already on trains back to London by the time the final whistle was blwon.

 

[schmunk]

i had a drink in the North Stand so stayed there post match for 30/40 minutes. And then walked straight onto the platform, and was on a train to Lewes - where i had a seat ! - within about 10 mins.

I upped-and-legged-it on the final whistle and got onto a train at about 22:20, so in truth only about 20 minutes queuing - but that was definitely the worst I've had it in a long time. Perhaps the trains aren't so bad after all...

 

[Hotchilidog]

I upped-and-legged-it on the final whistle and got onto a train at about 22:20, so in truth only about 20 minutes queuing - but that was definitely the worst I've had it in a long time. Perhaps the trains aren't so bad after all...

The thing is it's 20 minutes queuing so that naturally seems a lot longer than say a 20 minute walk to a station that you just breeze into. Whilst the trains are by no means perfect, I don't think they are that bad after all.

 

[Silverhatch]

Lets face it all well and good if it helps travel a little but the reason it will be there is to increase income stream

On more than just matchdays.

 

[CheeseRolls]

The stressy bit for me on evening games is that the queues at Falmer are excusable if not always welcome, the queues at Brighton Station heading west just push me over the top. It is as if they are trying their upmost to make this unpleasant and difficult.

We used the park and ride for both Chelsea games and it worked well on both occasions. Though we left promptly both times on Saturday, we just missed the cut off for the first set of buses to Mill Road. Fortunately the first few must have set off extra early as the wait for their return wasn't too long.

I look forward to a few beers post match, after an afternoon victory. Midweek I have to hope enough have a simpler journey and the time to help reduce the mass exodus impact.

 

[BNthree]

I noticed this link in the AMEX card discount offer on the app:

https://everyday.dynamify.com/store/the-terrace

Not sure if they're real stalls and items to be sold (in the only one currently populated) or just dummy placeholders.

Certainly hope there's a Lost Boys concession there. They do great fried chicken at The Joker at Preston Circus

 

[WATFORD zero]

Like the look of the new fan zone

On the subject of transport I don't think it is beyond the wit of man and would entail very little financial outlay to

1. Train Stewards to line up fans on the platform and load Trains efficiently and be capable of counting P&R numbers to allow buses to be be loaded in Parallel.
2. Put one display in each stand with train times and webcams of the train and P&R queues.

And, if a few quid is going, put perspex covers over P&R and Train queues.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Like the look of the new fan zone

On the subject of transport I don't think it is beyond the wit of man and would entail very little financial outlay to

1. Train Stewards to line up fans on the platform and load Trains efficiently and be capable of counting P&R numbers to allow buses to be be loaded in Parallel.
2. Put one display in each stand with train times and webcams of train and P&R queues.

And, if a few quid is going, put perspex covers over P&R and Train queues.

You missed snipers taking out the queue jumpers going down the disabled part of the queue.

 

[dazzer6666]

Lets face it all well and good if it helps travel a little but the reason it will be there is to increase income stream

It can be both (plus allowing us to have a better day/evening out)..........and with PSR being based on income the club have to maximise revenue.

Some of the cynicism/negativity on here is mad.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Ever since thew Amex opened there have been lots of requests for better facilities outside the stadium. Toilets, food, cover from weather. As far as I can see this is exactly what the Terrace gives us, and as an added bonus it will help a little with somewhere to go should the queues be too long.
I really cant see a downside here-its a win-win yet the apparent tone of some posts is that because it doesn't solve the insolvable how to you transport 30 000 people with no waiting, no queues, no guaranteed dry weather and that the club will gain financially (eventually after the cost is recuperated) then this is somehow a bad thing solely there to line the clubs pockets and screw us fans over.

I think its an excellent addition to the facilities, and looks like it will benefit the fans, and the club.

The cynicism is only in the context of people claiming that the travel issues are going to be helped by this. * Which seems dubious at best at this point.

That deflects from all your points which are completely valid. The new facility looks absolutely fantastic.

 

[schmunk]

Certainly hope there's a Lost Boys concession there. They do great fried chicken at The Joker at Preston Circus

I also note there's a "Melts" area - presumably for Away fans...

 

[dazzer6666]

The cynicism is only in the context of people claiming that the travel issues are going to be helped by this. * Which seems dubious at best at this point.

That deflects from all your points which are completely valid. The new facility looks absolutely fantastic.

...............apart from @amexer

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Like the look of the new fan zone

On the subject of transport I don't think it is beyond the wit of man and would entail very little financial outlay to

1. Train Stewards to line up fans on the platform and load Trains efficiently and be capable of counting P&R numbers to allow buses to be be loaded in Parallel.
2. Put one display in each stand with train times and webcams of the train and P&R queues.

And, if a few quid is going, put perspex covers over P&R and Train queues.

Mitoma might be able to recruit some suitable personnel on his next trip home?

 

[Uter]

The stressy bit for me on evening games is that the queues at Falmer are excusable if not always welcome, the queues at Brighton Station heading west just push me over the top. It is as if they are trying their upmost to make this unpleasant and difficult.

We used the park and ride for both Chelsea games and it worked well on both occasions. Though we left promptly both times on Saturday, we just missed the cut off for the first set of buses to Mill Road. Fortunately the first few must have set off extra early as the wait for their return wasn't too long.

I look forward to a few beers post match, after an afternoon victory. Midweek I have to hope enough have a simpler journey and the time to help reduce the mass exodus impact.

My experience after the Chelsea match last Friday was fine to be honest. I stayed behind for a while, walked down to the station and straight onto the platform because the queue was gone, just as the 8-car 22:49 to Brighton was pulling in. With hindsight I probably could have left earlier and still avoided the queues. Westbound onwards travel from Brighton is often a massive pain as the timetable reduces to a paltry 2 trains per hour after 8pm, so I usually end up catching the bus. But on Friday the 23:10 was extended to 8 cars and I got on straight away. I don't know how long they've been extending westbound services after evening games, but it was very welcome. The train probably would have been full otherwise.

I know the queues at Falmer were shorter than usual because most Chelsea fans had left early and there were a few more no-shows than usual, but still, it was as good as I could reasonably expect for an evening match.