I honestly think you and therest of the crew have done a fine job, it's just not for me and my friends...if you move inside that might change
You can't be expected to be able to compete with actual bulldings that have heating, meals and other home comforts you get in a pub. Such a shame we don't have the old school land behind the west stand to build a two floors Brammahs style venue with a hotel beside it.
Never been in Redfern’s so cannot comment about the comparison. Feel huge sympathy for the guys who organise the FanZone as they have tried to accommodate the increased demand that was obviously coming with promotion this season. Unfortunately it feels like they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. My party have picked and chosen when we use the FanZone - not sure we would have been able to do that this season if it was still Redfern’s.
It was nobody's fault I couldn't get in, and there is no way I can say 'it hasn't worked'. Fantastic effort. I'm very old now, I just prefer a pie and a pint in a pub. Being old also means I'm a bit more choosy with where I spend my money. The BFC experience under this regime is nowhere near the top of my priority list. Ended up going cos Tom got a day return from Newcastle. Some effort with train / ticket cost but if there was a highlight to my day out it was the 2 hours in the Dove. Quite possibly my last game of the year. Last season was fantastic, but if owners think myself and others are genuinely looking forward to a repeat of L1 they are in for a shock.
I actually think the bit of the metrodome they use for large away followings would be ideal - huge space, plenty of room for pop up bars and can have the early kick offs on to boot. Could even have street food vendors etc. Has it ever been considered?
It is a no brainer though. Non league clubs have better social club facilities. The potential for evening functions & stuff like that is immense. I know the club has the banqueting suite that does that, but a venue that was match day / fan's bar would surely do OK.
You’ve got to take in to account you’ve got approx. 26 ‘sessions’ a year, at three hours a session, to make money. So you’ve got to be financially secure both on and off the playing field in my opinion before you significantly invest as it’s probably a five year return? Not sure how successful or popular the banqueting suite is outside of match days but if it isn’t popular, then maybe they’re nervous having another permanent space to drive interest and returns in? I’m always out and about at non-league clubs and envy some of their setups. But they’ve inherited those rather than built them. I think most of those who say ‘just build a social club’ probably don’t appreciate what it fully takes, but it would be popular for sure.
ground regulations state non league clubs must have a clubhouse. Some clubs have a typical pub style venue that opens through the week, others have it inside the ground for match days only
There are birthday parties / anniversaries / sports clubs / loads of things that a more affordable option would attract for private hire, outside the match days. Could also put on upcoming bands. The Fan Zone works in certain climates, but not in Yorkshire most of the year. The season is over now, time to rebuild.
I remember back in the day, 1991, went with my pal who was a Bradford fan to Cambridge away and had a few pints in their social club afore the kick off, brilliant atmosphere and a decent bar tbh and still going strong. Barnsley needs its old social club back to get fans in afore kick off I reckon. The club needs to cater for its local audience, both young and old if it is to succeed and prosper in this social side venture. Every respect to all involved in the fanzone and redfearns however real money needs to be spent to provide a proper venue if the club wants to do this properly. Mind, the owners don’t seem to want to do a championship football team properly so I won’t get my hopes up, lol.
the social club under the stand at Rochdale is a cracking little set up. Abit dated but the price is bang on.
Not sure if you missed my point there but I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you, but it isn’t as simple as that and you’re talking investment vs. return in years to come not instantly
The cost of building this social club vs. having 26 match days a season plus some speculative birthday parties and anniversaries. Those 26 sessions a season not being for more than three hours with an hour at capacity. Add in the cost of a manager, staff, security, cellar kit out, etc. and it isn’t cheap. You’re probably getting an ROI over five years is my point. There’s loads you could do, but you’d be up against plenty of pubs in and around the town offering the same service and making an assumption people would travel to Oakwell outside of a match day. It’s all speculative isn’t it?
What project doesn’t? But I’m not talking about that. I’m more saying it isn’t as easy as some folk make out, a lot of ideas have assumptions that are risky, and needs that huge initial outlay. We know that initial investment isn’t there don’t we?
It is speculative but imo the people who would visit a classy establishment at Oakwell are not the same people who would go to town centre pubs. For example do Barnsley town centre pubs really cater for kids birthdays? Would you have your 60th birthday party on Wellington Street? I wouldn't go out drinking in Barnsley town centre pubs, it's not for me. Would I go for a nice meal and drink at a stylish bar come restaurant at Oakwell? Yes I would. Would I go and sit in a bar in the town centre and watch a football match? No. Would I go to a stylish bar at Oakwell with like minded Barnsley fans to watch a game on big screens? Definitely. Obviously you know a lot more than I do about this stuff but I think people seem to assume that the only option is to build a tacky pub that tries to compete with Wellington Street. I think that couldn't be further from the truth. We don't need something that is trying to compete with those and will therefore be empty the rest of the year. What could very well work though is something different that is targeting a different clientele. To think about it another way, they built a new pub off Birdwell roundabout a year or two ago. Using the "only 26 days" argument isn't it logical to say that they have no customers at all? They don't host any football matches. People drive there to enjoy a nice meal and a nice drink. Same as the chestnut tree at baraugh green. I just don't understand why people seem to be under the impression that these destination pubs can work everywhere else but if it's next to a football pitch it must be doomed to failure.