The new (ish) Mayflower

[MarkMatthews]

Great,I have allways preferred the idea of refurbishing the old lady rather than the crap new thing.Mr Hallett is making all the right noises.

Couldn't agree more and was particularly worried that none of the plans dating back to the early 00s for a new stand never made any attempt to retain/incorporate the turnstyles and façade.

 

[TinTin]

You are dead right Penlee !

Sandy Park has been a MAJOR success as a conference centre BUT do not forget, it is SO close to Exeter Airport !!

Plymouth will NEVER flourish in the same way as we do NOT seem to want the same, yet we are FOUR or FIVE or SIX times bigger than this little village on the River Exe ?

We will NEVER expand without a thriving airport - period !!

No doubt there !!

Keep the Faith :scarf:

 

[bizzay1]

I think we will put in a bid for the 2028 World Cup

 

[demportdave]

Well that sounds pretty fantastic.

I love the idea of keeping the essence of the grandstand (and that facade) while being modern and comfortable. Hopefully like Fenway Park in Boston.

If we can combine the old grandstand with the new horseshoe in an attractive way, I think we will be very lucky and in a far better situation than those clubs with soulless out of town bowls.

Been to Fenway many times. A great stadium which they have been able to modernise yet retain the old feel to the stadium and the area around it, particularly Yawkey Way.

I doubt that could be achieved at HP, although they could produce a Budget version of the old Govan Stand at Ibrox.

First off, if they are to keep the Mayflower, it would be nice if they could actually finish the original stand from 1951 and take it the full length of the pitch instead of it being 20-odd yards short at the Barn Park end.

 

[Old Gunner]

You are dead right Penlee !

Sandy Park has been a MAJOR success as a conference centre BUT do not forget, it is SO close to Exeter Airport !!

Plymouth will NEVER flourish in the same way as we do NOT seem to want the same, yet we are FOUR or FIVE or SIX times bigger than this little village on the River Exe ?

We will NEVER expand without a thriving airport - period !!

No doubt there !!

Keep the Faith :scarf:

I'm not so sure Tin Tin, I can get to Plymouth from Exeter airport in about 40 minutes by road--takes longer to get to London from Gatwick and Heathrow in my experience--even getting to Central London from City airport is a pain. I've always thought that if we don't get our own airport reopened perhaps the focus should be on improving the transport links between Exeter and Plymouth.

 

[Green Flash]

Sandy Park has been a MAJOR success as a conference centre BUT do not forget, it is SO close to Exeter Airport !!

Exeter Airport is not a business airport it is a holiday airport, it is the fact that Exeter is on the Motorway network and one hour less to get to anywhere by train that is the crucial thing.

 

[area51]

Good if it happens must have sponsors in the pipeline as we have no surplus cash as we have just bought the freehold?

 

[Bermudian Green]

It's not just a refurb.

Just calling it refurbishment is under-stating the scope of work.

"It will be a very attractive building, I think, when it is completed. It will have conferencing facilities, offices for our staff and it will have facilities for our players.

"It's going to be something between a complete knock-down start again and refurbishment. A major upgrading is probably the good way of putting it."

Absolutely right. Refurbish the bits that are to be kept (hopefully the facade) and presumably the major structural elements, clear out the rest and start again.

 

[Andy Holland]

Very interesting. I'm sure they'll forgive us for "believing it when we see it" though - there have certainly been a lot of false dawns!

I'm a fan of refurbishment instead of rebuild - hopefully it'll mean HP retains some semblance of character. It'll be interesting to see the plans when they get published.

 

[Adam R]

Like the idea of refurb... bit of nostalgia remains.

As for the conferencing, lets assume Chiefs have nailed it 100%, we may not be able to expect the same revenue streams but there must be people crying out for conferencing facilities this side of Exeter and we may well be the second choice when their facilities are unavailable. Its still beneficial whilst maybe not as beneficial as it could be.

Alternatively we could adopt the "little old Plymouth stuck out on a limb" mantra and not bother because we don't think anyone will use it.

 

[SWTT]

Potentially good news. I've said before thet decent conferencing is the key, just like the Chiefs up the road. In my role with my previous employer, an international investment firm, I used to host seminars around the south west and there is a dearth of decent venues in most of the cities from Truro, through Exeter,Taunton, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham and Plymouth of course. When the Chiefs opened everyone who wanted conferencing in Exeter went there due to access/parking/facilities and it was often fully booked by govt bodies such as the NHS.

If Argyle get that bit right it could be a real money spinner. The rest of the original plans (shops/ice rink/hotel/cinema) did seem a bit superfluous to me as I am convinced that conferencing always will be in demand if it is done properly. We won't take much business off the Chiefs but there is plenty of demand out there in every city.

Couldn't agree more. Making use of the stadium for the majority of the year is vital to progression.

As well as conferencing facilities, hospitality services are important. The Rod Stewart gig for example had ample capacity with the pitch and horseshoe, but it missed out on the opportunity to host hospitality as the stage faced away from the grandstand.

If they can get this right then happy happy days.

 

[Penlee]

Potentially good news. I've said before thet decent conferencing is the key, just like the Chiefs up the road. In my role with my previous employer, an international investment firm, I used to host seminars around the south west and there is a dearth of decent venues in most of the cities from Truro, through Exeter,Taunton, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham and Plymouth of course. When the Chiefs opened everyone who wanted conferencing in Exeter went there due to access/parking/facilities and it was often fully booked by govt bodies such as the NHS.

If Argyle get that bit right it could be a real money spinner. The rest of the original plans (shops/ice rink/hotel/cinema) did seem a bit superfluous to me as I am convinced that conferencing always will be in demand if it is done properly. We won't take much business off the Chiefs but there is plenty of demand out there in every city.

Couldn't agree more. Making use of the stadium for the majority of the year is vital to progression.

As well as conferencing facilities, hospitality services are important. The Rod Stewart gig for example had ample capacity with the pitch and horseshoe, but it missed out on the opportunity to host hospitality as the stage faced away from the grandstand.

If they can get this right then happy happy days.

Agree with this and the other similar comments - Plymouth doesn't need the airport or the motorway or the train to require decent conferencing. The seminar/conference holders want to use Plymouth because there are clients here - mainly because it is a big city. Chiefs get it right so could/should Argyle.

 

[Emu]

The idea of keeping the old stand in some capacity is quite intriguing. I wonder what they propose to do to it. Could it be where they keep the façade, hollow it out and build around it? Would be nice if it is joined to the horseshoe somehow.

 

[memory man]

Great,I have allways preferred the idea of refurbishing the old lady rather than the crap new thing.Mr Hallett is making all the right noises.

Couldn't agree more and was particularly worried that none of the plans dating back to the early 00s for a new stand never made any attempt to retain/incorporate the turnstyles and façade.

With you there EG and MM. Both are iconic structures. Old yes, not fit for purpose - but still iconic and worth preserving in some form. As I see it there is a lot of room to build outwards towards the current HHP car park, while still leaving sufficient walkways beneath.

 

[Knibbsworth]

Sandy Park has been a MAJOR success as a conference centre BUT do not forget, it is SO close to Exeter Airport !!

Exeter Airport is not a business airport it is a holiday airport, it is the fact that Exeter is on the Motorway network and one hour less to get to anywhere by train that is the crucial thing.

What kind of conferences find getting to Exeter no problem, but find the next 38 miles on the dual carriageway arduous and out of the question? I don't think the distinction between what is a motorway and what isn't really affects these decisions - Exeter to Plymouth is a fast road.

I think Plymouth would excel in the conference industry. It is a great and beautiful city with plenty to do in the evenings. I'd much rather be stuck in Plymouth on a week's break from a dreary office than Coventry or Exeter.