Safe standing

[BeHereNow]

This used to be the case 10 years ago. I can't remember the last time a steward asked our fans to sit down away from home, which never works but still I genuinely can not remember the last time.

When you're away it's different. We're talking about home fans. Try standing up in row E of the North Stand for the whole game. I'm sure someone behind you or a steward will tell you to sit down. Atleast in a safe standing area, fans will be standing all game every game.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

I'm in Row U of the North and we've been standing since day one. There were a few problems in season 1 and one or two in season 2 but since then there's been no problem from stewards. I'd estimate the back 8 rows stand most games and plenty of the rest of the stand when things get exciting or we're playing key games.

It would be great to see the whole of the North designated a safe standing area, but that looks pretty unlikely unless the (more) silent majority speak up. My guess is that while most of us want to encourage a great atmosphere, a smaller percentage actually WANT to stand, so the club may have to trial a corner section and see how it goes. The good thing is if it concentrates vocal support more effectively that could have a knock-on effect round the stadium.

Must admit I expected to see Safe Standing as a sticky on here, complete with poll. Maybe the fact it has neither means the hard core are a bit more ambivalent about it than some of us expected?

 

[Quinney]

This used to be the case 10 years ago. I can't remember the last time a steward asked our fans to sit down away from home, which never works but still I genuinely can not remember the last time.

Forest away stewards are a nightmare.

 

[JonnyComeEarly]

Forest away stewards are a nightmare.

And southampton

 

[crookie]

I think one of the reasons why it'll also be 1 to 1 for us is because of the agreement we made when planning the stadium. I don't think we'd be allowed to go above what we have now.

Could it be flexible then depending on how many tickets we have sold, so the total capacity doesn't go over the limit. For example, if the North could hold 6000 standing against 3000 seated, and we have only sold 25000 tickets, could we then have a whole 6000 in the North, or is there an upper limit for Health and Safety reasons in each particular stand ?

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Would you like

to be more active in your support at home games or just happy to sit in your seat for 90mins, is there anything that puts you off showing a bit more passion on match days , reason i ask is that a mate of mine who has a ST reckons the club are keen to keep people in their seats FROM WHAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED ............. DISCUSS
regards
DR


[mod edit: I have merged this post into this thread - as it seems to be basically the same discussion - perhaps from a slightly different, if warped, perspective]

 

[Gazwag]

Could it be flexible then depending on how many tickets we have sold, so the total capacity doesn't go over the limit. For example, if the North could hold 6000 standing against 3000 seated, and we have only sold 25000 tickets, could we then have a whole 6000 in the North, or is there an upper limit for Health and Safety reasons in each particular stand ?

The NS concourse struggles with 2,500 there is no way on earth it would cope with 6,000, it would really dangerous, like at QPR

 

[Return of the Rev]

Could it be flexible then depending on how many tickets we have sold, so the total capacity doesn't go over the limit. For example, if the North could hold 6000 standing against 3000 seated, and we have only sold 25000 tickets, could we then have a whole 6000 in the North, or is there an upper limit for Health and Safety reasons in each particular stand ?

And the club are going to sell 6000 places at a reduced rate when the stadium has more expensive seats not used

 

[spoonie]

can we not extend the concourse ?

 

[crookie]

And the club are going to sell 6000 places at a reduced rate when the stadium has more expensive seats not used

Will standing be half the price of seats then ? If so, maybe you'd come along for a game

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

will standing be half the price of seats then ? If so, maybe you'd come along for a game

bring your own milk crate
regards
DR

 

[drew]

Agree that doing nothing wasn't an option. Trouble is that the Taylor Report was commissioned by people (cough: Thatcher) who wanted to get rid of football as we knew it (and preferably get rid of football altogether).

Hillsborough and Bradford could have been avoided if the fans hadn't been fenced in. End of - there is no argument against that. Although yes, sadly, there were reasons why fences had been put up.

All that needed to be done to make the terraces safe was to divide them into smaller segments, with one single entry point at the back. So, if the size of the crowd that could be safely housed in that particular area was say, 100, 200, 250 or whatever, the automatic turnstile would click to admit a punter 100, 200 or 250 times (or whatever) and then stop; nobody in unless somebody came out. "They" didn't want that though, did they - they all wanted to go along with the Thatcher 'Let's Stamp out Football Fans' (after all, they're all drunk, attack the police, and pick the pockets of their dead colleagues, don't they?) mind-set.
God, how I wish that cow had been up against the fences at the front of the Leppings Lane end that day............!

Do you know anything about the Bradford fire? Exactly what fences exacerbated the problem?

 

[drew]

Will standing be half the price of seats then ? If so, maybe you'd come along for a game

There will be a cost for converting areas to safe standing so surely that should be bourne by those that want to stand!

 

[crookie]

The NS concourse struggles with 2,500 there is no way on earth it would cope with 6,000, it would really dangerous, like at QPR

That's true enough I guess, be impossible to get a drink. I suppose there's not much scope for expansion

 

[drew]

Given that a ticket for a selected standing space is still required due to a locked seat which can be used where all seater is required by regulations then it must be 1 for 1

Not sure that makes sense. If safety certificate allows and modification to exits made etc, you could have 2 for 1 or 1.5 for 1 for matches designated as allowing standing and sell tickets accordingly and, when seats are mandatory, you sell tickets for the seats only. It only needs a bit of paint to mark the separate standing areas or markings on the rail!!!!

 

[Gazwag]

can we not extend the concourse ?

How? unless its made as wide as the west stand concourse but that would make the pitch smaller

 

[Return of the Rev]

Will standing be half the price of seats then ? If so, maybe you'd come along for a game

So the £42 pound seat will become the £21 standing area?

 

[Superphil]

Not sure that makes sense. If safety certificate allows and modification to exits made etc, you could have 2 for 1 or 1.5 for 1 for matches designated as allowing standing and sell tickets accordingly and, when seats are mandatory, you sell tickets for the seats only. It only needs a bit of paint to mark the separate standing areas or markings on the rail!!!!

At the Dortmund stadium the capacity is significantly different for league games when standing is allowed, and International games where the stadium has to be all seater. I guess it's the number of people that the NS (assuming it is the NS) is allowed to hold that dictates how many safe standing spaces there can be, rather than the actual space available.

 

[crookie]

So the £42 pound seat will become the £21 standing area?

I doubt it, the people who are in the £42 seats are probably not the ones interested in standing. It was you who said the club wouldn't allow cheaper tickets to be sold for standing if they have more expensive seats still to sell. Usually pay £25 in the North, so maybe £20 for standing if they get 1.5/1 or 2/1, otherwise same price I guess

 

[The Albion Roar]

At the Dortmund stadium the capacity is significantly different for league games when standing is allowed, and International games where the stadium has to be all seater. I guess it's the number of people that the NS (assuming it is the NS) is allowed to hold that dictates how many safe standing spaces there can be, rather than the actual space available.

The capacity in the North Stand (and the rest of the stadium) is limited by the club's licence to operate by Brighton & Hove City Council. At present, the stadium's capacity is 30,750.

Although the club can apply for a change in capacity, they'd have to make a good case as to why and how. Assuming we're talking about 3,000 North Stand seats being replaced on a 1.5/1 or a 2/1 basis (an increase in capacity of 1,500 or 3,000), as Paul Barber has stated, the egress areas and vomitories aren't big enough to cope with such an increase.

And although he stated he wanted the 'fan experience' to be as good as it could be (or words to that effect) you shouldn't forget that a business case has to be made for the change from the 'all-seater' area to the 'safe-standing' area. I can see the club going for a 1/1 replacement basis, but if the 1.5/1 or 2/1 change is prohibitively expensive, I'd seriously doubt it happening.