North Stand - fans being moved for "City Hall" GA+ section

[DiscoSteve]

Was it ever noticed from the plans that some fans would be relocated ? I always presumed the premium seats would be the front of the new stand and not affect existing seats ?

There was always a block of 'premium seats' in existing Level 2 Level 1 (so below where new seats are going in) called out in the Planning App - but I don't recall anything else

 

[1961_vintage]

Still not completely got over being booted-out for the Tunnel Club back in the day.

And now, like then, they just do what they want, when they want, how they want.

 

[Blue Since 76]

has anyone put togther a map of the sets of seats affected - I'm trying to visualise how this will work

I was aware of the GA+ block in the 2nd Tier Level 1 and the Cross Bar hospitality on Level 1 behind it but wasn't aware how City Hall at Level 0 would work BUT here's a page from the Planning app that shows that any hospitality/GA+ seats for City Hall can only be on Level 0

View attachment 174636

That doesn't show any seats being affected. We're in 138, three rows from the back but have been told we won't be affected, whilst people a couple of rows in front have been told they need to move. Seemed to be those infront of the disabled seating area.

From a selfish perspective, I don't mind if it ends up being season ticket holders who've paid a bit more, but can see the area being full of half and half scarves which could make it interesting for a few of the games...

 

[blueparrot]

Must be something to do with the layout of the new development. Really harsh to move existing ST holders though.

Maybe but it was always on the plans to move SC holders, just seems they have changed which ones,back of tier 1 instead of bottom of tier 2.One other point they aren't putting corporate seats in their place.they are putting GA+, depending on the price of the GA + seats some of those being moved might decide to stay in the same seats.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

What other club has put corporate/ stupidly expensive seating right behind the goal? (GA+ is over £1300 in ss2 - pricing out huge numbers of fans)

It’s one of the most visible areas and is usually the place for loudest fans or cheaper tickets with lots of kids in.
It doesn’t make any sense to put it there. May as well put it in ss1 as well!

Like ss2 it’s going to half empty for about ten minutes in the second half. Right in camera view as well

As someone who was kicked out of my seat for advertising we’ve treated our fans really poorly at times

 

[Centurions]

There was always a block of 'premium seats' in existing Level 2 Level 1 (so below where new seats are going in) called out in the Planning App - but I don't recall anything else

Those at the front of tier 1 in the planning app have been knocked on the head, they may be pushed back for The Cross Bar patrons behind the present hoarding. They'll not be above the 2nd row of vomitories.

The 350(?) seats affected by the City Hall GA+ seats are in the middle 2 blocks at the back of tier 0.

 

[BLUE PEANUT]

has anyone put togther a map of the sets of seats affected - I'm trying to visualise how this will work

I was aware of the GA+ block in the 2nd Tier Level 1 and the Cross Bar hospitality on Level 1 behind it but wasn't aware how City Hall at Level 0 would work BUT here's a page from the Planning app that shows that any hospitality/GA+ seats for City Hall can only be on Level 0

View attachment 174636

My guess is it is the bit highlighted yellow, based on the letters and access etc, that will become GA+

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Having such seating right being the goal in the lower tier is absolutely mental.

Feels like the initial idea for City Hall on a match day was just to have extra space and a nice indoor bar for everyone to visit, but now it seems it has been made exclusive and will be monitised further.

Is that true? - city hall only available if you’ve got the more expensive seating?

I’ll add that to the hotel, sky bar and premium seats that I can’t afford and probably wont ever have access to

 

[Centurions]

Is that true? - city hall only available if you’ve got the more expensive seating?

I’ll add that to the hotel, sky bar and premium seats that I can’t afford and probably wont ever have access to

Probably not given the size of it and that only around 350 or seats are affected. No idea how it will work mind.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Probably not given the size of it and that only around 350 or seats are affected. No idea how it will work mind.

We do need more clarity I think.

 

[spud.ctid]

My guess is it is the bit highlighted yellow, based on the letters and access etc, that will become GA+

View attachment 174639

No the seats are 4 rows what used to be w,x,y & z. As far as we can tell that across 4 blocks. The back 5/6 rows are not included or being moved.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

Up until 2 seasons ago I was in there. Seems like yet another own goal from the club.

 

[Centurions]

Any chance @Ric that you could edit your title as they're patently not "corporate" seats but merely GA+?

 

[Prophet of Doom]

There was always a block of 'premium seats' in existing Level 2 Level 1 (so below where new seats are going in) called out in the Planning App - but I don't recall anything else

Can see from the plans now you have have posted. I mistakenly presumed they were at the front of the new build part.

Feel for anybody relocated. Happened to me when 9320 was created.

Seems madness to piss off another few hundred blues at a time when the board must be concerned how we are gonna fill the extra seats.

And surely for anybody affected surely there are better ways for the club to deal with it.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

And the problem with forced moves has always been how they are handled by the club, and I think one of the things we achieved at City Matters was to get them to handle it a bit better when they do it. But with this one there are 7,000 new seats so why do they need to move existing ticket holders at all? Why not put the new facility in the new area rather than an existing one.

Maybe that’s what the Club should have done but it’s about maximising revenue, it’s not just for the fans. Investors will come first and they will believe the hospitality is easier to sell lower down the stand. Hopefully this will subsidise cheaper rail and other seating. City will say part of the hospitality is at the very top of the stand anyway.

One thing that mystified me in these videos is the guy criticising the building of a hotel Fair dos it has no direct relevance to him but if it helps pay for cheaper tickets - with guests from the Coop Live as well as City - then that’s a bonus IMHO.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

What they should have done is offered an incentive for moving. I suppose this would work against them trying to sell the more expensive seats to incumbents but they could have offered free cup scheme tickets, or 6 free additional tickets, or something like that.

 

[Ric]

Any chance @Ric that you could edit your title as they're patently not "corporate" seats but merely GA+?

Sure, that's done now.

 

[hoppy]

Johnny come lately with the tripod and camera attends for the atmosphere, that atmosphere is generated by legacy fans.

Experiential football tourism has nothing to with atmosphere, it's all about the gift shops and the photo opps.

 

[Blue Since 76]

No the seats are 4 rows what used to be w,x,y & z. As far as we can tell that across 4 blocks. The back 5/6 rows are not included or being moved.

That would make sense - back 3 or 4 rows are in-between the raised disabled sections, so presume the new GA+ section will be in front of that. Not sure how they're going to manage access to the fancy bar though, as everyone will be using the same walkways and then having to use a season ticket to get into a bar area seems like a pain for those who've paid to not have to deal with the riff raff

 

[Tim of the Oak]

What they should have done is offered an incentive for moving. I suppose this would work against them trying to sell the more expensive seats to incumbents but they could have offered free cup scheme tickets, or 6 free additional tickets, or something like that.

I raised something similar with Danny Wilson at a Supporters Club meeting over a year ago. It was clear the GA+ seats were non negotiable so I asked why don’t you encourage singers in 93:20 and Joe’s to move to the North Stand GA+.


Danny said they would look at it as part of the fan engagement for the new North Stand. I sensed Danny though not a lot of people would move from the rest of the ground to the new North Stand.