New beginnings - 25% Truth, 80% Bollocks

[Riddick]

The OSC were looking in to it (I know because I did some research for them) and basically it was going to need some investment & would take a few years to be able to cover the cost, but Clem wanted it as a money making thing much quicker so took over the research/setup, hence why nothing has happened.

Was then suggested it would be included as part of the stadium development

The problem with everything thats been talked about. Unless it generates revenue instantly Clem is not interested. We will go nowhere unless they invest first knowing the returns come in a few years.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

They did a trial Willy Wonka fanzone in Glasgow and realised it wouldnt work out.

 

[joeydubya]

The Fanzone at Crystal Palace is little more than a few food and drink vans and some novelty games/mini outlet. I don't think it needs to be that deep...  it's not much more complicated than any mobile catering popup. I recall the Trust survey asking if members would be interested in 'eating at a fanzone on a non matchday' - i'm not sure a full time food court on the Shrivenham Road would really work.

Pave a bit, have a guest food van every week, have a portakabin bar, have some football screens, fence it off, stick two blokes on the entrance - how hard is it?

In short, a fanzone is just a slightly more co-ordinated version of what they stick outside the Town End anyway. Not really needed.

[RobertT]

Yep - local to me here, we have someone who purchased a plot of Brownfield land, where something like a warehouse had been ripped down so just a concrete pad and tarmac left.  They converted that into a Food Truck site - so some of them are there every day, others rotate.  Nothing much more complex would be needed, and you are only filling a few hours each time there is a match on.  You create a space big enough for five or six to pull up, so it attracts a crowd who at least want to have a look and see what is on offer.  Then allow some sponsored activities, pay to play even.  Have a small, external, pop up club shop, and you are done.

Longer term, you could steal another idea I have seen work well here - add a Micro Brewery/Taphouse to the development at the Town End.  No need to cater - have the fanzone next to it and invite food trucks to act as the catering, reducing the capital outlay and ongoing operating expenses for the facility, but creating a flexible space that can be expanded for match days.  Multiple food trucks on matchday, rotate the service in the evenings only for Weds-Sunday for example.

Similar to how the Tap set-up in Old Town (where they had someone else do Pizza), but on a bigger scale.

These are all things that could have been delivered (fanzone) or reached Planning by now.

FFS - 19 years ago I managed to hire a bunch of blow-up stuff with a few friends to support the L&P idea, we actually turned a profit (which was used towards materials/flags etc).  Some of it was a bit naff, but it catered to the kids and families, who loved a little distraction around the ground.

[Batch]

At the start of the last couple of seasons we have several food vans in the CG car park offering a wide range of food. As the season wears on they disappear, presumably not viable.

I don't think there's the appetite (pun intended)

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

The Fanzone at Crystal Palace is little more than a few food and drink vans and some novelty games/mini outlet. I don't think it needs to be that deep...  it's not much more complicated than any mobile catering popup. I recall the Trust survey asking if members would be interested in 'eating at a fanzone on a non matchday' - i'm not sure a full time food court on the Shrivenham Road would really work.

Pave a bit, have a guest food van every week, have a portakabin bar, have some football screens, fence it off, stick two blokes on the entrance - how hard is it?

In short, a fanzone is just a slightly more co-ordinated version of what they stick outside the Town End anyway. Not really needed.

Already have this essentially, don't we? Three or four food vans across the Town End side of the ground. Only change would be one selling alcohol and it fenced off.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

At the start of the last couple of seasons we have several food vans in the CG car park offering a wide range of food. As the season wears on they disappear, presumably not viable.

I don't think there's the appetite (pun intended)

They were still there start of the season before I stopped attending. Had a lovely couple of slices from a Pizza and Co van back in the August/September heatwave.

[tans]

At the start of the last couple of seasons we have several food vans in the CG car park offering a wide range of food. As the season wears on they disappear, presumably not viable.

I don't think there's the appetite (pun intended)

Or the outside vans start to make more money than the inhouse slop that is served in the stands and the club dont get a big cut of what the outside vans are making so fuck them off.

[joeydubya]

Already have this essentially, don't we? Three or four food vans across the Town End side of the ground. Only change would be one selling alcohol and it fenced off.

Well quite - do I want to drink behind a chain linked fence from a bar that has the same stuff as the concourse, or do I want to be in the concourse/County Ground hotel/Legends Lounge?

[RobertT]

https://www.itfc.co.uk/portmanroad/fanzone/

[Bob's Orange]

We should introduce a "fanmoan" area giving supporters the opportunities to vent their spleens, whilst having the opportunity to purchase warm plastic bottles of Carling for £7.

[Posh Red]

https://www.itfc.co.uk/portmanroad/fanzone/

We had a zoom meeting with the guys that run that, they said it took them a few years to build it up to get people interested. Now they have to turn people away.

That was part of the problem, Clem wasn’t keen on the outlay to build up a client base

[RobertT]

I am sure someone with half a brain could get this off the ground and build it out - the initial outlay would be minimal (vs development of the ground itself).

[RobertT]

If the club were serious about making money, they'd lease the space for someone to set it up themselves, outsource it.

[RobertT]

Maybe the car wash operator can have a bash, they may need a bike rack though.