Holler St end rail seating

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Jonty
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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Jonty » Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:04 pm

The reason this keeps surfacing and the reason it splits opinion is because no one has ever come up with a tangible plan for development at Holker Street and longer term vision to make the club sustainable at Holker Street. The latest we’ve had was from the departed CEO that he quite liked what they have at Accrington. Quite liking and having a costed and approved plan are two different things. Show us the plans and the vision for HS and how that will help us achieve our ambitions as a club and then ask the question- Stay here or do we need to move?. That’s the starting point. Colour of seats, running tracks, soulless detached stands and who you collaborate with come later. Right now it’s the fundamental question. Does HS give us what we need for the future?
Last edited by Jonty on Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by SayitagainSam » Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:05 pm

Lancaster Branch wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:40 pm
Bigfathoss wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:20 am Nothing with a running track around it...ever.
Absolutely, definitely this.
How about a Speedway track...

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by bamber678 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:46 pm

Jonty wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:04 pm Does HS give us what we need for the future?
In short, no it doesn't. Its a non league ground designed to comfortably hold 2,000 at best. The holker street end is an embarrassment, nice shiny roof being held up by by stanchions that block 85% of the view. Away fans cant see past the white debris netting towards the Wilkie stand. No beverage stands or toilets close by makes going with small kids that need the toilet or want sweets a nightmare if you don't arrive early enough. unfortunately we don't have a sugar daddy that can plough millions into a new stadium or redevelopment so the BOD need to spend their money wisely, would it have killed them to wait an extra season or 2 to raise the estimated £250,000 extra to make the holker street roof a cantilever or did they have to rush to get it built?

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Bombadel » Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:54 pm

Program for tommorrow is now out, PH mentions the final grant is being put in by Frazer Stewart, for the additional seats required, with the details being released on an up and coming “meet the board” seems like the ideal platform to raise any questions.

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Jonty
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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Jonty » Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:10 pm

bamber678 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:46 pm
Jonty wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:04 pm Does HS give us what we need for the future?
In short, no it doesn't. Its a non league ground designed to comfortably hold 2,000 at best. The holker street end is an embarrassment, nice shiny roof being held up by by stanchions that block 85% of the view. Away fans cant see past the white debris netting towards the Wilkie stand. No beverage stands or toilets close by makes going with small kids that need the toilet or want sweets a nightmare if you don't arrive early enough. unfortunately we don't have a sugar daddy that can plough millions into a new stadium or redevelopment so the BOD need to spend their money wisely, would it have killed them to wait an extra season or 2 to raise the estimated £250,000 extra to make the holker street roof a cantilever or did they have to rush to get it built?

Everything done with the best intentions but I agree. I am no expert but the HSE roof does look over engineered. It has enhanced the ground by providing a roof but the away fan views from the back with the segregating netting can’t be good.
As for waiting, We possibly could have tried to acquire half a metre of Holker Street from the Cumbria Highways agency to build it from the back. On that Note- don’t know if stadium solutions had an option to go full width bridge span truss, the type you see over motorways. This would have avoided stanchions and concrete blocks on the terrace but may not have been feasible from a costing or engineering perspective.
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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Cromwell58 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 3:55 pm

Not bothered if away fans can see or not, no seats in the Holker End standing only.

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by mulholland » Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:54 pm

Showing my age now but my Dad used to take me into The Bluebird Club for a pre-match sass back in the very early 70's when we were still in the league.
I distinctly remember on one of the walls was an impressive painting of what was envisaged as the Holker Street of the future.
2022 and we're still no nearer that 'artist's impression'.
Wonder what became of that picture?

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Louis29 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:24 pm

Jonty wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:10 pm
bamber678 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 1:46 pm

In short, no it doesn't. Its a non league ground designed to comfortably hold 2,000 at best. The holker street end is an embarrassment, nice shiny roof being held up by by stanchions that block 85% of the view. Away fans cant see past the white debris netting towards the Wilkie stand. No beverage stands or toilets close by makes going with small kids that need the toilet or want sweets a nightmare if you don't arrive early enough. unfortunately we don't have a sugar daddy that can plough millions into a new stadium or redevelopment so the BOD need to spend their money wisely, would it have killed them to wait an extra season or 2 to raise the estimated £250,000 extra to make the holker street roof a cantilever or did they have to rush to get it built?

Everything done with the best intentions but I agree. I am no expert but the HSE roof does look over engineered. It has enhanced the ground by providing a roof but the away fan views from the back with the segregating netting can’t be good.
As for waiting, We possibly could have tried to acquire half a metre of Holker Street from the Cumbria Highways agency to build it from the back. On that Note- don’t know if stadium solutions had an option to go full width bridge span truss, the type you see over motorways. This would have avoided stanchions and concrete blocks on the terrace but may not have been feasible from a costing or engineering perspective.
I would imagine cost and safety came into the equation. Remember the wind is vicious hitting that end hence all the supports that will have been installed. The terrace would of had to be flattened completely and start from scratch for what you are asking. Everyone wanted a roof and that is what we got.

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by bamber678 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:42 pm

Louis29 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:24 pm
Jonty wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:10 pm


Everything done with the best intentions but I agree. I am no expert but the HSE roof does look over engineered. It has enhanced the ground by providing a roof but the away fan views from the back with the segregating netting can’t be good.
As for waiting, We possibly could have tried to acquire half a metre of Holker Street from the Cumbria Highways agency to build it from the back. On that Note- don’t know if stadium solutions had an option to go full width bridge span truss, the type you see over motorways. This would have avoided stanchions and concrete blocks on the terrace but may not have been feasible from a costing or engineering perspective.
I would imagine cost and safety came into the equation. Remember the wind is vicious hitting that end hence all the supports that will have been installed. The terrace would of had to be flattened completely and start from scratch for what you are asking. Everyone wanted a roof and that is what we got.
I'd have preferred them to do that and build it properly than half arsed to 'get it up'

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Big E » Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:47 pm

It had to be done that way, the back wall isn't strong enough to support any form of stanchions. The only way to have done it without the supports would have been to flatten the whole Holker end and do deep footings. Time and cost made it not viable. Was mentioned loads of times when it was initially done

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Back of the net » Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:06 pm

If there’s a chance of the so named leveling up strategy and associated funding it might happen. It will have to be run as a joint venture . Leigh RL play at a council run facility built supposedly as a community stadium however Leigh Genesis were busing fans to Warrington after BRLFC played there on a Good Friday years ago. Apparently they couldn’t afford to play there as the council had ridiculous procedures regarding staffing to open the stadium which they couldn’t pay for with a few hundred turning up.

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by blue nige » Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:32 pm

Cromwell58 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 3:55 pm Not bothered if away fans can see or not, no seats in the Holker End standing only.
Those away fans give our club a lot of extra revenue and they help create a better atmosphere , treat others as you would want them to treat you !

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by bamber678 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:18 pm

blue nige wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:32 pm
Cromwell58 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 3:55 pm Not bothered if away fans can see or not, no seats in the Holker End standing only.
Those away fans give our club a lot of extra revenue and they help create a better atmosphere , treat others as you would want them to treat you !
Unless they bring a drum. That individual fan carrying it can [SwearFilter] off

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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by Bigfathoss » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:22 pm

mulholland wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:54 pm Showing my age now but my Dad used to take me into The Bluebird Club for a pre-match sass back in the very early 70's when we were still in the league.
I distinctly remember on one of the walls was an impressive painting of what was envisaged as the Holker Street of the future.
2022 and we're still no nearer that 'artist's impression'.
Wonder what became of that picture?
I think losing the Bluebird was as big a problem as allowing a speedway track. Today, The Bluebird would be an absolute goldmine.
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Re: Holler St end rail seating

Post by barrowaberdeen » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:36 pm

Big E wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:47 pm It had to be done that way, the back wall isn't strong enough to support any form of stanchions. The only way to have done it without the supports would have been to flatten the whole Holker end and do deep footings. Time and cost made it not viable. Was mentioned loads of times when it was initially done
This. And we had a summer in a pandemic.

Unless someone has a spare 10 to 15 million, we cant do a newbuild there.

We would be one weaker sports club in thrall to the council.

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