The plans for the permanent Fan Park are now available on the council planning portal: https://planningexplorer.barnsley.gov.uk/Home/ApplicationDetails?planningApplicationNumber=2025/0058
Looks like capacity for around 650-700. Sack the board. https://planningexplorer.barnsley.g...PPJE2ICJMXV4QFYE6?ApplicationNumber=2025/0058 https://planningexplorer.barnsley.g...GWZFLYCLC3YKVX6DR?ApplicationNumber=2025/0058
I'd agree it's too small. If the proper facilities are available, people will use it. It's not the same design we were initially shown as it's now moved to the east stand car park, which is a constraint. Hope those undercover areas will be heated.
From the plans it looks like there would be 2 drinks points and 3 food service points for those 500-600 people, which seems a little short. Unless >1 vendor can be housed at each service point? Shame, because if the facility is worth it I could see me using it fairly regularly.
Loons like a huge step backwards to me. It has covered areas but not enclosed so any heating would be inefficient and it's long and thin with fairly low capacity. Love those long thin benches though where if you have to snuggle up to strangers in long lines
I'm wondering where people will queue for drinks. There's not a lot of space in front of the kiosks. I'd guess people would be encroaching on the standing areas? There are an awful lot of food outlets for 650 people. In the past, they struggled to provide enough business for one guest food outlet with roughly that many people. It would be better to make those food and drink areas drink only, I'd have thought. I guess there might be room in there for more than 650 people though looking at the plans (assuming the licence allows).
Well I think it's a step forward from what's there now—a van in a car park and a stage. There isn't any cover really at the moment, and the club didn't bother putting out the chairs and tables we bought all the time. There's also usually one outlet and a food truck. I think better shelter and a way of heating it for the winter should have been incorporated but that's probably down to lack of budget. Some of those infrared heaters could still be part of the plan though. There's a big screen on the plans above the stage. It would be good for the early kick-off games if they could be shown. Would be good for the World Cup/ European Championship etc. in the summer and a venue to watch that or even for the 5pm televised prem game after ours. Kids' shoot-out area and proper toilets, too. Covered seating areas. It's without doubt a step forward.
Stage obscured for those sitting by those standing. Open air great for the winter months Many clubs have far better fan facilities than those being offered. Looks like it's the cheap option again for the fans. Was there a fan consultation as I must have missed it?
Those standing areas will have to be removed to accommodate the inevitable queues. Would you see the big screen from the covered seating area?
Erm, Im not sure that's what everyone was envisaging. But better than what was I guess. Have they not explored just opening up the east stand lower so it's under cover, close the existing turnstiles and pop some up before each set of steps. Then you have more or less the entire lower stand for cover. Dunno of that would be feasible