WestHamIFC wrote: ...the utter stupidity of Lord Coe’s original plan to reduce an 80k Olympic Stadium to 25k for Athletics only, which would have been mothballed for 10 months of the year at massive cost to the tax payer with zero return.
We were the lesser of 2 evils, and actually have saved the tax payer millions compared with the alternative.
I have no idea how you come up with those sums.
Why would it have been mothballed for 10 months? It could've been used for all sorts of things.
Massive cost? What unlike the third of a billion to convert and 20 million annual losses.
We were the worst of 2 evils and have cost the taxpayer a lot more. With the benefit going to a private business run by a couple of multi millionaires rather than to a national sport with charitable status.
WestHamIFC wrote:How exactly ‘better off’?? I’d love to hear this one. :lol:
Once the Olympics and World Champs are gone, athletics in this country has got a history of barely 5,000 turning up on a regular basis! For 10 months of the year that 25,000 stadium (without even a roof!) would have had tumbleweed blowing through it.
That’s Fake News (or a “lie” as they called it in my day). It was Barry Hearn who said that.
333 million plus 20 million running costs so far with responsibility for all future running and dilapidation costs for 97 and a half years.
As opposed to taking the upper tier off and relocating it as per the original plan and the running costs of a 25,000 stadium with 365 days' use.
What's your sum then?
I will try to find the quotes. One I found from Brady after winning the bid - 'Sometimes I feel like we took over a house that nobody wanted, did it up and made a fortune'. Except that the taxpayers did it up of course.
Funnily enough we didn't get the deal of the century anyway. It was **** for everyone except those whose equity allegedly grew on the back of it. That's personal wealth, not ours.
I'd rise to being called a liar, but this thread's already gone sideways.
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Last edited by Up the Junction on Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:Edited by a mod
The irony here being that if a terrorist wanted to do maximum damage he would go for the squashed up security queues rather then in the stadium itself.
We could be in a situation where its more dangerous having the security checks then not.
Bizarre.
wildkard wrote:I know it's not the place, and this will probably not go down well.... however
Some of this thread is disgusting. A mod digging someone out, over and over, without any need. Any non-mod would be banned for that. Anyway, I've said it now. Done. No doubt I'll get a ban. BTW, anyone who thinks that racial profiling doesn't go on (even perhaps in a "non official" capacity) is, to use a phrase oft repeated on here, deluded.
Its not the place and no one asked you but you want to be a martyr.
Doc H Ball wrote:Religious profiling, which was what was suggested, is unlawful. It's also a pretty blunt tool.
My understanding is that all people are to be searched the same - take airports for example.
'Social profiling' is of course very different wording and avoids reference to religion or race because, as I say, the latter is unlawful.
Not accusing anyone of anything here, just trying to debate.
My partner is from a Muslim background and has an Arabic name and I can tell everyone on here for a fact that they are treated differently at airports and other security points. There have been many times when they have been quizzed or taken for a “special security” search while I have passed straight through.
sutts07 wrote:There are so many things wrong with the stadium, the walk is not one of them for me personally.
Up the Junction wrote:
But it is for hundreds, probably thousands of your fellow fans.
Which is why I added 'for me personally' at the end of that line and then went on to offer comparisons of other stadiums. Our walk to the station is a breeze compared to trying to get to some away grounds,also easier than using some of the stations surrounding the Boleyn (Upton Park aside, we were certainly spoilt having that so close - even though it could still be 10-15 mins to the back of the CR from there).
Up the Junction wrote:
As for Upton Park, if you didn't want to queue there you could go elsewhere.
Which is why I mentioned Forest Gate and East Ham (my personal go-to stations if I wasn't staying in the Duke for a few after).
I am genuinely interested to hear how the walk to Stratford differs for so many people (probably thousands as you say) if they used to use stations such as Forest Gate, East Ham or Plaistow. Also, assuming the point of the debate is to improve the stadium, what do we think can be done? It's not like we are going to shift the ground five or ten minutes closer.
For me, I have only ever known/expected a fair walk to any stadium. Even stadiums like Twickenham and Wembley are a decent hike away from the train station.
sutts07 wrote:I am genuinely interested to hear how the walk to Stratford differs for so many people (probably thousands as you say) if they used to use stations such as Forest Gate, East Ham or Plaistow.
Towards East Ham:
EHWMC
The Central
The Wakefield (when it was open)
The Denmark
The Millers Well
The Hammers
Towards Plaistow:
The Village ((when it was there)
The Greengate (when it was there)
The Lord Stanley
The Black Lion
The Vic
Plaistow Park Community Centre
[/quote]For me, I have only ever known/expected a fair walk to any stadium. Even stadiums like Twickenham and Wembley are a decent hike away from the train station.[/quote]
Twickenham is 0.8km from the Station.
Wembley is; 0.6km from Wembley Central and 0.54 from Wembley Stadium station.
The OS can vary from Westfield from anything from 1.1 to 1.2 KM. Even from Pudding Mill Lane it's 0.97km
At Lord's we get our bags searched and a shake down by a Muslim lad. My old man will wear a jacket and sometimes a tie. He's 86!! Bit odd but we go along with it. Very much a token effort to find something. Very easy to get booze in (beyond the allowed 1 bottle or 2 pints).
Let's face it, if a terrorist wants to get into Lord's or the LS or wherever, they can.
sutts07 wrote:
For me, I have only ever known/expected a fair walk to any stadium. Even stadiums like Twickenham and Wembley are a decent hike away from the train station.
Interesting comparison.
Twickenham is indeed a hike but there are bars, foodstalls, souvenir sellers, a sense of atmosphere that you are going top a big event. Inside the stadium you are made to feel welcome with bars that are more than conducive to having a pint before or after.
Wembley is rubbish, ghastly, place, as bad as ours to get in and out of but only West Ham in a Cup final will get me there. Pointing at Wembley as an example of something to aspire to is
RichieRiv wrote:
Towards East Ham:
Towards Plaistow:
Twickenham is 0.8km from the Station.
Wembley is; 0.6km from Wembley Central and 0.54 from Wembley Stadium station.
The pubs along the route I will openly agree with. One of the biggest things I miss. Carpenters and Podium (plus few vans outside the ground) are all we have to offer now. No comparison.
It is the walk itself that I was saying is no real hardship. Around 200m different to Twickenham, and that was just a stadium I picked off the top of my head. Stadiums outside of London can be miles away from a station. Liverpool and Man City are two big ones that I can think of off the top of my head where i have always had to get a bus or a taxi.
Billydinho wrote:On Saturday I got off the train at 12.21.
I missed the goal.
Place is terrible.
I didn't want to get out of bed that early on a Saturday either! I got off the train at 12:19 - I was through the turnstiles and starting up the steps leading up to my seat when the 2nd bubbles started. It did take me another couple of minutes to get up to my seat in the gods though. Still next season once the new entrance at Hackney Wick station opens I'll be in my seat for bubbles - providing more people don't start using bridge 2 where there's no queues.
north123 wrote:Any reason we don’t get replays on the large screens at either end the ground,?
Because they'd sooner show adverts for the B list sponsors the club has. Really annoys me - they show the match live when no-one bothers watching and as soon as there's something worth replaying (that's non contentious so they can show it), they switch to adverts.
sutts07 wrote:It is the walk itself that I was saying is no real hardship. Around 200m different to Twickenham, and that was just a stadium I picked off the top of my head. Stadiums outside of London can be miles away from a station. Liverpool and Man City are two big ones that I can think of off the top of my head where i have always had to get a bus or a taxi.
Oh I know. But you'll only visit those grounds once a season, not 19. If you're with a kid or someone suffering with Asbestosis, trust me it becomes an absolute mission and in the case of the latter preventing them from actually going.
Left builders 11.50 , 15 minute walk 10 mins search queue , one of busiest bridges , and in my seat by 12.15 .... Also did something I never did at Upton Park , ..... Let's just say there was no queue and the cubicles were spotless , I genuinely feared the worst but at least I was impressed with the crappers
People's opinions of the access and entertainment options of the LS are, of course, going be very personalised dependent on their own journeys and what they like to do before and after the game
I don't like the inside of the stadium much, but I do really the options available for a beer/ food before and after the game.
I live in Forest Gate so often bus/walk, but if meeting for a beer before I will get train to Stratford and then jump on another train one stop to hackney wick. Even if I am walking straight there, i will walk round the stadium and go across the bridge from the North direction (but, of course, this is possible as I am a relatively fit 39 year old)
I go with a mate who comes with his Dad (who has a knee problem), and two young kids. They all travel in from Highams Park and much prefes the journey via public transport than previously at the Boleyn. His Dad also finds driving easier to LS if he decides to take the car
I appreciate not everyone will like the food and drink options down in Hackney Wick, but personally, really like the multitude of options along the canal, and given the tremendous vibe in a number of these establishments on Saturday PM, many others do as well. East Village also has quite a few places for a decent beer and bit of grub. Again, all about personal taste. I didn't really enjoy having a beer before or after the game when we were at the Boleyn as wasn't a fan of any of the pubs if honest (except maybe the Central, but that was the wrong way from Upton Park/ Plaistow)
For me, the focus should be on improving the situation inside the stadium
