Back to the Lyndhurst

[Devongreenowl]

It would be nice if the PA system was as good everywhere else. It’s improved slightly in the Lyndhurst, but still not great. Maybe it’s because there’s more background noise in the Lyndy compared to the library, sorry - Main stand.

 

[TheBoldman]

Since moving back west and being near enough to get to home games I've used the Grandstand for the last 20 years. Yesterday was my first game in the new upper tier and maybe my expectations were too high but I found it very cramped and the narrow concourse is not a step forward.

I used to sit in the Grandstand with my father until he passed away a few years ago. We started off in the Devonport End (standing) but then moved to the Grandstand as he got a bit older and required more sedate surroundings! Since my father passed away though, I have returned to the Devonport End, our spiritual home!

But I wanted to try out the new Grandstand (also to remember the good times with my dad) and sat close to the seats that we used to occupy. I found the seating a bit cramped too but my major gripe with the new Grandstand was the narrow concourse in behind the seating. The old concourse used to give you a bit of half-time respite from freezing conditions in the Winter months and you could lean against the long sideboard(?) and have a cup of coffee or Bovril and listen to the half-times. I didn't actually know where to stand with the new concourse being so narrow and ended up propping myself against a metal railing.

It feels like you're being forced back out to the narrow seating as there is little room to stand and chat in the concourse out of the weather. With this in mind, I will definitely be moving back to the Devonport End long-term and can't see myself sitting up in the Grandstand unless friends/family ask me to.

 

[Biggs]

Is it not swings and roundabouts though, with the new Archie's Bar?

I never went back to the concourse pre-development unless I was desperate for the toilet (which incidentally, must count as an improvement?) as there was very little space and simply couldn't be bothered to move.

The Archie's Bar makes it a net increase in 'chill out' areas, no?

 

[TheBoldman]

Is it not swings and roundabouts though, with the new Archie's Bar?

I never went back to the concourse pre-development unless I was desperate for the toilet (which incidentally, must count as an improvement?) as there was very little space and simply couldn't be bothered to move.

The Archie's Bar makes it a net increase in 'chill out' areas, no?

Happy to give it a go! I must admit that I had no knowledge of Archie's Bar as I have always sat down the Devonport End of the Grandstand, near the first flight of steps. Therefore, I had no need to go exploring. Just walked up the old stairs, into the concourse, and went to find my old seat. Perhaps a bit of signage would be helpful to direct fans to new facilities that they may be unaware of?

 

[IJN]

Perhaps though the signage is purposefully muted so that the DE fans don't walk down towards the BPE bit. Just a thought (maybe a daft one).

 

[PSM Green]

First Pasoti post but a supporter and regular attender for 15 years.
I sat in the revamped upper grandstand for the first time at the New Year's Day match. It was completely full. I agree that the seating space is much more restricted than elsewhere in the ground and it is difficult for people to walk along the rows past other spectators because the seat bases do not lift up. In addition to lack of space in front the seats seemed quite close together.
However my main concern were possible safety issues.
I was sitting in the block at the extreme left hand end of the upper grandstand, about halfway up. After the final whistle it was impossible to get out because of the number of people trying to do the same. I know this is the same to a degree at the end of every game wherever one sits in the ground. However looking across at the Devonport stand I saw that blocks A, B, C and D had all emptied of spectators by 5:03 (I took a photo of it) but I had only been able to very slowly move about 10 seats along and was still in the row where I had been sitting.
I would therefore worry about the speed with which spectators could leave the upper grandstand in a hurry if that was ever necessary. It looks to be very much slower than the Devonport. The retained 1950s exit route and staircases seems to be too narrow to allow rapid evacuation of a full stand of spectators. This may well have been the same situation before the stand was rebuilt but that, and the limited seating space, does rather put me off using the seats up there in future.

 

[L G]

Perhaps though the signage is purposefully muted so that the DE fans don't walk down towards the BPE bit. Just a thought (maybe a daft one).

You would think that appropriate signage would be good for business though?

 

[PL2 3DQ]

Since moving back west and being near enough to get to home games I've used the Grandstand for the last 20 years. Yesterday was my first game in the new upper tier and maybe my expectations were too high but I found it very cramped and the narrow concourse is not a step forward. I definitely sat there thinking I should go back to the Lyndhurst or try the lower section.

My other gripe was the speaker volume it's deafening. If there was an atmosphere you wouldn't know it, until mercifully kick off comes and you get a reprieve for 45 minutes. Conversation seemed a struggle.

I've been going for on and off for 50 years so this may be grumpy old man nostalgia but the character has all gone and been replaced by modern functionality that doesn't seem to function. I rather hope other people don't feel like me as that would be a great shame.

My other gripe was the speaker volume it's deafening. If there was an atmosphere you wouldn't know it, until mercifully kick off comes and you get a reprieve for 45 minutes. Conversation seemed a struggle.

Exactly the point in some of my other posts recently!! Absolutely no need for the volume to be so high in the grandstand... conversation is completely ruined and it stifles any atmosphere! The ‘DJ’ must be deaf, I say the ‘DJ’ must be DEAF.

Sometimes, it's as though the ref has to wait until the 'music' has finished before he can start each half. The DJ is too keen to impose himself on the atmosphere.

 

[Biggs]

Hang on, seen this mentioned a few times... the seats don’t flip up?

They do, surely. They all look flipped up in the empty stand pictures.

 

[djg145]

Hang on, seen this mentioned a few times... the seats don’t flip up?

They do, surely. They all look flipped up in the empty stand pictures.

YES the seat bases do flip up, when not in use.

 

[djg145]

First Pasoti post but a supporter and regular attender for 15 years.
I sat in the revamped upper grandstand for the first time at the New Year's Day match. It was completely full. I agree that the seating space is much more restricted than elsewhere in the ground and it is difficult for people to walk along the rows past other spectators because the seat bases do not lift up. In addition to lack of space in front the seats seemed quite close together.
However my main concern were possible safety issues.
I was sitting in the block at the extreme left hand end of the upper grandstand, about halfway up. After the final whistle it was impossible to get out because of the number of people trying to do the same. I know this is the same to a degree at the end of every game wherever one sits in the ground. However looking across at the Devonport stand I saw that blocks A, B, C and D had all emptied of spectators by 5:03 (I took a photo of it) but I had only been able to very slowly move about 10 seats along and was still in the row where I had been sitting.
I would therefore worry about the speed with which spectators could leave the upper grandstand in a hurry if that was ever necessary. It looks to be very much slower than the Devonport. The retained 1950s exit route and staircases seems to be too narrow to allow rapid evacuation of a full stand of spectators. This may well have been the same situation before the stand was rebuilt but that, and the limited seating space, does rather put me off using the seats up there in future.

Did you venture down into the concourse at half-time? It was horrendous!
The MAIN problem is the narrowness of the concourse now, especially at the Demport End of the Grandstand.

 

[David Fisher]

Hang on, seen this mentioned a few times... the seats don’t flip up?

They do, surely. They all look flipped up in the empty stand pictures.

YES the seat bases do flip up, when not in use.

Otherwise it would be impossible to move along the row with people standing in front of a flipped down seat.

 

[Biggs]

Well exactly. But I’ve seen a few people mention that the seats don’t lift up like the wooden seats did, and am struggling to get what they mean.

 

[metroace]

Like all modern stadium seat, when you stand up, the seat flips.

 

[Pogleswoody]

Like all modern stadium seat, when you stand up, the seat flips.

So Biggs, as am I, is wondering why these new seats are 'worse' than the old seats?
Why have people said (repeatedly) that the seats don't lift up if they flip up?

What the flip (lift)?? :think: