| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment 10:25 - Sep 23 with 7639 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
Obviously MA has already said the Cobbold Stand redevelopment is part of the medium to long-term plan, but I really can't see it being necessary unless we're established in the PL for 3+ seasons.
Looking at the ticketing site, there are plenty of non-RV seats available for Charlton and the club are struggling to sell tickets for the existing hospitality areas. Even the Norwich fixture still has availability.
If the numbers add up, then putting a new roof on the West Stand, adding the 4,000 seats MA mentioned and getting rid of all the RV seats is all that is required IMO.
Has anyone heard any more about these plans for the West Stand? |  | | |  |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 10:55 - Sep 24 with 801 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 09:39 - Sep 24 by buoyant |
Old English phrase, when words/sentences were delivered in a different order I would imagine? |
Correct, an archaic grammatical structure for historic English, with roots in Old English and Irish Gaelic. | | | |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 11:08 - Sep 24 with 743 views | OldFart71 |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 13:12 - Sep 23 by Churchman |
The big question for me is what is the core support level? From what is being said about ticket sales now we are struggling, maybe the capacity we have is more than enough and not the 33k - 35k I thought we needed when we were doing well.
Our core support under Duncan was 8k. That increased to 12k by the time of Burley and 16k 10 years ago under Mick. Now? Taking out the fair weather Johnny come latelys who will all be gone if we don’t progress my guess is core support is 23k. A big increase over the years tbf.
If this pessimistic assessment is correct, we certainly don’t need to replace the East (Cobbold, Portman formerly Chicken Run) stand. Just give it a lick of paint and try and bung a few more toilets in, even if it means taking out some seats. Perhaps the rubbish restricted view ones at the top and turn it into a bar area?
The only problem with this doom laden alternative offering is that an increase in capacity allows the club to attract more children and their parents in - the clubs future support and far more important than the likes of me.
Replacement also offers the possibility of more events and hospitality and the ability to use the ground all year round. It’s dreadfully under equipped albeit characterful and charming in its way. It’s also well located.
An interesting conundrum. In all seriousness I cannot see that stand being redeveloped beyond a basic cheap makeover unless we are established in the Premier League (I can dream) so one is looking at what, minimum 5 years time?
This is a deliberately provocative post purely for discussion and views. |
I don't believe it's purely the support level that will be the reason for replacing the Cobbold. It opened in season 1970-71 therefore it's 54 years. My house is a similar age and whilst I haven't had to rebuild the whole thing various things costing many thousands have had to be spent on it and nowhere near the number of people have been through my house as with the Cobbold. The stand is also far more open to the elements and the requirements are more in respect of being an entertainment hub than my house is.
Also there's the situation regarding when Gamechanger & Co eventually decide to cash in their chips and sell the club. A more modern stadium would I believe mean a higher price is attained.
Yes of course there is the outlay which I guess would run into several million.
I would see a capacity of 35,000 would be a minimum requirement as to spend millions on something that would only provide a couple of thousand as pretty pointless and as someone has alluded to a new set of hospitality boxes to replace the current pretty poor shed like boxes we currently have would be necessary. | | | |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 12:39 - Sep 24 with 570 views | hype313 |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 13:12 - Sep 23 by Churchman |
The big question for me is what is the core support level? From what is being said about ticket sales now we are struggling, maybe the capacity we have is more than enough and not the 33k - 35k I thought we needed when we were doing well.
Our core support under Duncan was 8k. That increased to 12k by the time of Burley and 16k 10 years ago under Mick. Now? Taking out the fair weather Johnny come latelys who will all be gone if we don’t progress my guess is core support is 23k. A big increase over the years tbf.
If this pessimistic assessment is correct, we certainly don’t need to replace the East (Cobbold, Portman formerly Chicken Run) stand. Just give it a lick of paint and try and bung a few more toilets in, even if it means taking out some seats. Perhaps the rubbish restricted view ones at the top and turn it into a bar area?
The only problem with this doom laden alternative offering is that an increase in capacity allows the club to attract more children and their parents in - the clubs future support and far more important than the likes of me.
Replacement also offers the possibility of more events and hospitality and the ability to use the ground all year round. It’s dreadfully under equipped albeit characterful and charming in its way. It’s also well located.
An interesting conundrum. In all seriousness I cannot see that stand being redeveloped beyond a basic cheap makeover unless we are established in the Premier League (I can dream) so one is looking at what, minimum 5 years time?
This is a deliberately provocative post purely for discussion and views. |
It's not just about increasing capacity these days, it's about trying to make use of the ground far more often than every other week over 9 months.
They want to make it an all year round facility that operates more than just football, it's the way grounds are going, look at Spurs. |  |
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| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 12:48 - Sep 24 with 528 views | PhilTWTD |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 14:37 - Sep 23 by bournemouthblue |
They haven't bought the entire car park, they have bought some of land to allow for redevelopment and reorientation of the road?
IBC are planning to build a multistory and an aquatics centre on the site which they will run? [Post edited 23 Sep 14:39]
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They're not actually buying it, there's an agreement for its use in the redevelopment. As you say, only a narrow strip of it, not the whole car park. |  | | |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 13:01 - Sep 24 with 473 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 12:48 - Sep 24 by PhilTWTD |
They're not actually buying it, there's an agreement for its use in the redevelopment. As you say, only a narrow strip of it, not the whole car park. |
Are you sure about the purchase Phil? This is what was being reported on several outlets last last year, including the BBC :
Premier League club Ipswich Town FC has agreed in-principle to buy a large parcel of land behind its Portman Road stadium with a view to extending one of the stands at the venue.
The BBC said the club would acquire part of a car park behind the Cobbold Stand if a deal was completed.
The two-tier Cobbold Stand is the oldest stand at Portman Road, having been constructed in 1971, and can accommodate up to 3,000 away fans on matchdays.
I appreciate things can be mis-reported, or change, but I've not seen any further updates. The parcel of land for the club was also noted as 3,500+ sq meters - whilst not massive, it would consume a large strip of the car park immediately behind the stand. I also saw it written that 500 parking placed would be lost with the development on the land, hence the need for a 7 story car park to balance the loss - that's a sizeable area. | | | |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 13:01 - Sep 24 with 472 views | JakeITFC |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 09:46 - Sep 24 by Zx1988 |
The club will definitely be looking at upgrading the hospitality offering as soon as possible. The current arrangement of some packages whereby you get to eat at Arlingtons and then take a leisurely stroll to the ground is far from optimal. |
Agreed, although was interested to read that Liverpool do something similar with a meal at the Liver building and then a bus into the stadium (with some of the seats in the new upper tier the reserved for those people). |  | | |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 14:17 - Sep 24 with 313 views | bournemouthblue |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 11:08 - Sep 24 by OldFart71 |
I don't believe it's purely the support level that will be the reason for replacing the Cobbold. It opened in season 1970-71 therefore it's 54 years. My house is a similar age and whilst I haven't had to rebuild the whole thing various things costing many thousands have had to be spent on it and nowhere near the number of people have been through my house as with the Cobbold. The stand is also far more open to the elements and the requirements are more in respect of being an entertainment hub than my house is.
Also there's the situation regarding when Gamechanger & Co eventually decide to cash in their chips and sell the club. A more modern stadium would I believe mean a higher price is attained.
Yes of course there is the outlay which I guess would run into several million.
I would see a capacity of 35,000 would be a minimum requirement as to spend millions on something that would only provide a couple of thousand as pretty pointless and as someone has alluded to a new set of hospitality boxes to replace the current pretty poor shed like boxes we currently have would be necessary. |
Are the boxes on that stand extended, original images of the stand suggested they weren't originally part of the buildings? |  |
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| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 14:58 - Sep 24 with 217 views | PhilTWTD |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 13:01 - Sep 24 by SuffolkPunchFC |
Are you sure about the purchase Phil? This is what was being reported on several outlets last last year, including the BBC :
Premier League club Ipswich Town FC has agreed in-principle to buy a large parcel of land behind its Portman Road stadium with a view to extending one of the stands at the venue.
The BBC said the club would acquire part of a car park behind the Cobbold Stand if a deal was completed.
The two-tier Cobbold Stand is the oldest stand at Portman Road, having been constructed in 1971, and can accommodate up to 3,000 away fans on matchdays.
I appreciate things can be mis-reported, or change, but I've not seen any further updates. The parcel of land for the club was also noted as 3,500+ sq meters - whilst not massive, it would consume a large strip of the car park immediately behind the stand. I also saw it written that 500 parking placed would be lost with the development on the land, hence the need for a 7 story car park to balance the loss - that's a sizeable area. |
It was Mark Ashton who said the club was buying the land but I was subsequrntly told that wasn't the case, I think some sort of lease was the plan, but according to IBC discussions were still ongoing at the time I was writing.
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| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 16:16 - Sep 24 with 82 views | Churchman |
| Cobbold Stand Redevelopment on 14:17 - Sep 24 by bournemouthblue |
Are the boxes on that stand extended, original images of the stand suggested they weren't originally part of the buildings? |
No the boxes weren’t there when the stand was built. The lower section including the bits the boxes sit on were all terrace with seats behind as they are now. That remained the case when the extensions were opened in 1975. I actually stood where the boxes are now for the attendance record FA Cup game against Leeds.
Edit: the executive boxes weren’t there added after the 78 Cup Final win, reducing the capacity to 34,600. Ignoring the text, attached is a picture of the stand in 1971. It looked enormous and very modern at the time.
https://tractor-boys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67927
[Post edited 24 Sep 16:25]
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