[NSC] Vaccine passport required to enter Amex

[highflyer]

Poor old Barbs must of been in a conundrum, keep up the ID checks or lose money on the concourses. Basic maths tells you the ID plan is never going to work if thousands turn up half hr before kick off.

As above. Random checks.
90% of the impact, 5% of the additional checks. Job done.

 

[ManOfSussex]

I was outside circa 1615 time when a largish queue appeared for both the west upper and north turnstiles which appeared to panic more people into joining them. This seemed to then result in the covid 'checks' becoming token, which it was for me, rather than cursory to speed everyone through. West upper concourse was virtually as busy as normal when I got up there. I was very much in the minority moving around and queuing with a face covering on.

I had to open Google Pay on my phone and get the QR code up and hover that over the turnstile at the second attempt to get in as I didn't know what I supposed to do. Also got a programme for gratis as the seller's card device thing had intermittent WiFi and he said he wasn't bothered if my payment went through or not as it wasn't our problem. Modern technology is great

 

[Seasider78]

Given how many people chose to stay in the crowded concourses and have a pint then perhaps the club can re-visit their decision to not put the football on the TVs.

It seems a bit of a pointless measure to me

 

[Seaview Seagull]

I must have been in the small minority bthat had proper ID check. Probably because we arrived early on and no queues for WU. I thought the whole process including ticket entry went very well.

My only concern was that if the club says masks are mandatory when moving around inside they need to at least try and enforce it. I think at least 90% of fans on the concourse were maskless.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Given how many people chose to stay in the crowded concourses and have a pint then perhaps the club can re-visit their decision to not put the football on the TVs.

It seems a bit of a pointless measure to me

Not having Soccer Saturday on the screens beforehand made no difference whatsoever. If they don't want people on the concourses then don't serve food or drink.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I must have been in the small minority bthat had proper ID check. Probably because we arrived early on and no queues for WU. I thought the whole process including ticket entry went very well.

My only concern was that if the club says masks are mandatory when moving around inside they need to at least try and enforce it. I think at least 90% of fans on the concourse were maskless.

We got to the turnstile about 16.40 and there was a long, but fast moving queue to get in. My Covid pass and ID were properly checked and that part took less time than getting in the ground as the turnstile just wouldn't scan my phone. Switched to the one next to it and in first time.

Talking to a mate who sits with us, they get the Seagulls Travel coach from Buggers Hole and arrived later than me. The queue was so big by then that they were not checked at all, nor those around them.

If the club are serious about people arriving early so they can be ID checked then they need to have a word with the coaches and get them to all depart earlier than currently. Of course, that may then mean that some coach season ticket holders cannot make the early time and it will only exacerbate the numbers on the concourse. As for masks, no one bothered probably because of the eating and drinking rule. I had a pint in my hand or on the counter top at all times apart from when I was queuing for one.

The club are between a rock and a hard place. Force people to come early and you may lose long term supporters, even if you make more money on the concourses. If you make more money on the concourses then you greaten the risk of the match becoming a super-spreader event. I've criticised some of Paul Barber's decisions in the past but he's always got more right than wrong in the end and here is in an impossible position. I wouldn't want to make those decisions on twice his salary.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Given how many people chose to stay in the crowded concourses and have a pint then perhaps the club can re-visit their decision to not put the football on the TVs.

It seems a bit of a pointless measure to me

First thing I saw after getting into the NS concourse about 16:30 was Jeff Stelling's ugly mug beaming down at me from Sky Sports News

 

[Justice]

As above. Random checks.
90% of the impact, 5% of the additional checks. Job done.

Pointless, the stewards would avoid all the lads most likely to kick off and pick on grandad in the WSU. Probably why they gave up ID checks in the North early on.

 

[Bozza]

I must have been in the small minority bthat had proper ID check. Probably because we arrived early on and no queues for WU. I thought the whole process including ticket entry went very well.

My only concern was that if the club says masks are mandatory when moving around inside they need to at least try and enforce it. I think at least 90% of fans on the concourse were maskless.

I'm very pro-mask, primarily because it's a simple and painless measure that may help save lives, and costs me nothing.

I put my mask on as I approached the turnstiles and, like others around me, kept it on as I climbed my way up the never-ending stairs to reach the WSU concourse. Pretty much as soon as I reached that concourse, I took it off as there was almost no-one else wearing a mask, so me wearing mine would make no difference at all. The term "chocolate teapot" comes to mind.

Not having Soccer Saturday on the screens beforehand made no difference whatsoever. If they don't want people on the concourses then don't serve food or drink.

...or they DO serve food and drink, but not booze, but it all has to be consumed in your seat not on the concourse.

(Note: I'm not saying they should do this, but if there is genuine concern about viral spread on concourses, this step would help mitigate that, whilst still allowing most concession sales to take place)

 

[Change at Barnham]

I used the park & ride bus from Mill Road, I would guess about 25% were not wearing masks.
I went into Dick's Bar at 3pm for a couple of drinks to watch Soccer Saturday, I only had to show my match ticket for entry.
At 5pm I emerged (after the full-time results) and joined the wrong queue for East Upper (it was East Lower). I swapped lines and was in by 5.10pm with no checks ID or Covid passport checks, I just showed my match ticket on my phone and held it over the wi-fi box on the turnstile.

I'm guessing it will be the same next week v Everton as I don't think they can process the necessary checks at the turnstiles in the time required to get everyone inside before kick-off.

Overall, it was fine but clearly the club were forced to compromise on how they would have liked their planning to work.
They took the route of common sense, with crowd pressure outside the stadium.

In my view the sensible approach is to be double jabbed, and accept that you are eventually going to get Covid and have faith that the vaccine prevents the ill effects of the virus requiring hospitalisation.
Life has to go on.

 

[Quinney]

Given how many people chose to stay in the crowded concourses and have a pint then perhaps the club can re-visit their decision to not put the football on the TVs.

It seems a bit of a pointless measure to me

No one is going to sit in their seat an hour before kick off. Not showing Soccer Saturday was ridiculous and made no difference whatsoever.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Sheebo]

The Albion are being waaaayyyyy more thorough on the covid thing compared to other clubs from what I have seen and heard. Not saying anything’s right or wrong, but guess normality has to kick in at some point or we’ll end up loving a life of restrictive fear. Not having the football on the tv pissed me off.

 

[Bozza]

I'm guessing it will be the same next week v Everton as I don't think they can process the necessary checks at the turnstiles in the time required to get everyone inside before kick-off.

My Covid check for entry to the WSU (just before 5pm) took place some way from the turnstile, so it wasn't slowing down entry itself. People faffing with their phones to get in was more time-consuming than the quick check of my Covid pass and ID.

I'd also say that my Covid check was far quicker than the physical pat-down that used to take place. If they had time to pat down everyone (well, every adult anyway) prior to entry, then I don't see that it's an impossible task to Covid-check everyone, if that's what the club want to do.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'm very pro-mask, primarily because it's a simple and painless measure that may help save lives, and costs me nothing.

I put my mask on as I approached the turnstiles and, like others around me, kept it on as I climbed my way up the never-ending stairs to reach the WSU concourse. Pretty much as soon as I reached that concourse, I took it off as there was almost no-one else wearing a mask, so me wearing mine would make no difference at all. The term "chocolate teapot" comes to mind.



...or they DO serve food and drink, but not booze, but it all has to be consumed in your seat not on the concourse.

(Note: I'm not saying they should do this, but if there is genuine concern about viral spread on concourses, this step would help mitigate that, whilst still allowing most concession sales to take place)

Another impossible decision for the club. If we didn't have such draconian alcohol laws about booze in sight of the pitch then you could allow people to eat and drink anything in their seat before and after the game. You could also control constant getting up and / or beer showers by stopping alcohol service 15 mins before kick off and limiting sales to one pint per person per visit.

Unfortunately if they do as your post above (and I'm not for a minute suggesting you are in favour) then they risk losing more income and having very awkward conversations with Harvey's as well as the bigger brewers.

More outdoor bar sales would work earlier and later on in the season but not if it's cold and pissing down, and then you still get the last minute rush for the turnstiles.

A difficult position, yet guaranteed that some will moan whatever happens.

 

[Nitram]

Chaos with the long lines at approx 4.45. Obviously not enough staff to process the checks. Eventually waived through as they could not cope. If the club are going to implement a Covid check at least put a workable and efficient system in with plenty of people checking. They will need to rethink it before the Everton game - implementation not Covid checks.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Another impossible decision for the club. If we didn't have such draconian alcohol laws about booze in sight of the pitch then you could allow people to eat and drink anything in their seat before and after the game. You could also control constant getting up and / or beer showers by stopping alcohol service 15 mins before kick off and limiting sales to one pint per person per visit.

Unfortunately if they do as your post above (and I'm not for a minute suggesting you are in favour) then they risk losing more income and having very awkward conversations with Harvey's as well as the bigger brewers.

More outdoor bar sales would work earlier and later on in the season but not if it's cold and pissing down, and then you still get the last minute rush for the turnstiles.

A difficult position, yet guaranteed that some will moan whatever happens.

From yesterday, I would suggest masks on transport and random checks on ID/Covid jabs are the way forward. When you're stood on the concourse with a pint in your hand, masks aren't really practical. Maybe the people loading the buses/trains could 'remind' people to wear masks. A bit of a prompt and I think most would comply. Obviously there is an increased risk of infection, but I think that is unavoidable.

Maybe for people who want to take more precautions, arrive early and go straight to your seat masked and leave early or late (from your seat) avoiding the concourse risk. I really don't think having the TVs off makes any real difference

 

[Acker79]

What were the queues like at the south end of the stadium? When I arrived, coming up from the station, the west lower queue snakes all the way from the north end entrance down the ramp. The West upper entrance at the north end was snaking back toward the bandstand. I was wondering if it would be worth making my way to the south end entrances to see if the queues were shorter (I imagine with people walking, parking at the bridge, coming from the train station, from the bus stop at the university, all coming toward the stadium from the north end, they instinctive go to the nearest entrance, leaving the south end quieter.

 

[Bozza]

Chaos with the long lines at approx 4.45. Obviously not enough staff to process the checks. Eventually waived through as they could not cope. If the club are going to implement a Covid check at least put a workable and efficient system in with plenty of people checking. They will need to rethink it before the Everton game - implementation not Covid checks.

Again, I can only speak anecdotally from my own experience but with the Covid check taking place away from the stadium entry point itself, I don't see why they can't check 100% if they want to.

With fans being ready to quickly flash their details, it's a quicker step than the old physical pat-down that we all used to go through.

(I'm not saying they should do this, but I don't see that they couldn't, if they want to whilst also not slowing down stadium entry)

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Another impossible decision for the club. If we didn't have such draconian alcohol laws about booze in sight of the pitch then you could allow people to eat and drink anything in their seat before and after the game. You could also control constant getting up and / or beer showers by stopping alcohol service 15 mins before kick off and limiting sales to one pint per person per visit.

Unfortunately if they do as your post above (and I'm not for a minute suggesting you are in favour) then they risk losing more income and having very awkward conversations with Harvey's as well as the bigger brewers.

More outdoor bar sales would work earlier and later on in the season but not if it's cold and pissing down, and then you still get the last minute rush for the turnstiles.

A difficult position, yet guaranteed that some will moan whatever happens.

Would a possible solution (EPL rules permitting) be to do a live beam back of the game on to the concourses? Sounds a bit daft, and not for me Jeff, but an option that might have a suprisingly large take up. A bit like going to Hove dogs or Brighton races then watching the action on the telly. Many punters do exactly that

 

[Guinness Boy]

Would a possible solution (EPL rules permitting) be to do a live beam back of the game on to the concourses? Sounds a bit daft, and not for me Jeff, but an option that might have a suprisingly large take up. A bit like going to Hove dogs or Brighton races then watching the action on the telly. Many punters do exactly that

I'm genuinely not sure how that solves anything. You want people out in the open air.