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I had the good fortune to visit the Olympic park last Friday the
highlight of which was a tour of the stadium itself. It's a hard thing
to dis-associate oneself from the 'Olympic experience' and concentrate
on the lagacy that will be our ground, but I'll give it my best shot
without too much rose-tinted specs. There is no doubt however that the
Games will be an incredible spectacle here and the whole site is simply
magnificant in so many respects. Blody shame - criminal one actually -
that the ticket allocation is such a scam.
Right here's my impressions from a WH/supporters persepctive.
1.
The approaches to the stadium site will be cracking and that will help
create an atmosphere in itself. A complete contrast to the Boleyn.
You'll either access it through Westfield shopping center and/or the
residential areas (ex-athletes village) to the South and East or off
the A12 to the west and north or local roads coming into that part.
From the south and east in particular there will be a tremendous sense
of revitalisation and vibrancy and daer I say it a 'feel good factor'.
Everyone will pass close by the iconic Aquatics Centre (by then the
Newham Town Baths).
2. For the Games, the areas around the entry
points for the stadium are reserved for a variety of food &
beverage, official merchandising and sponsers retailing (basically
tent-type or free-satnding). Thus the immediate vicinity around the
stadium is very spacious and I imagine will be kept for matchday
F&B, merchandising etc. This will get people to the ground itself
earlier and create a 'closer' atmosphere around the ground I imagine.
3.
At present you approach entry to the stadium at above 'ground level'.
This gives the impression of the ground being a 'bowl' below ground
when in fact that is not the case.
4. The stadium is very black
and white (literally) in appearance but is not a concrete dominated
structure at all. The walkways are wide. the only colour is provided by
54 (IIRC) different coloured perspex type glass sheets that are used to
infill the structures at the various seating sections. At night these
would look stunning - if changed to claret and blue of course.
5. In
my view the stadium location vs. Boleyn is superb. Transport links are
excellent, Bus, Tube (and new Tube station is planned), Rail (Crossrail
will link in as well as existing lines to Stratford) and road (to the
North and West). However there is very little parking - just the
Westfield car park and current parking at the NW end of the site for
the media centre, if retained. Will be SO much easier for most people
not living within spitting distance of UP - poor bastards.
6. Back
to the stadium itself, it is not as 'sanitised' or 'industrial' as I
had imagined. And this should improve once we spend money on kitting it
out to our specification. It is modern but classic - very much in the
amphi-theartre mould than most new stadia I can think off.
7. The
seating is not steeply banked at all and that is a pleasant surprise.
also quite spacious versus Boleyn and better apportoined space between
rows and ailsles. Another plus. (The posh stands already have wider
'armchair' style seats which i magine will be retained).
8. The
sightlines and views to the pitch overall are absolutley terrific from
any stand or vantage point. There are zero obstructions to any view
anywhere, no stancions, pillars, barriers etc. I will come back to the
topic of football picth sightlines in a bit.
9. There is already an
obvious corporate box area on at least 1 side of the ground which is
equipped with boxes and VIP areas - which is along the north (or east)
stand I think, nearest to what will be the 100 meteres track. This has
seperate access points, escalotors and bomb-proof glass partitioning -
might be useful if BFS hits a losing streak. Behind this seating are
existing hospitality areas which I assume are re-usable.
10. One
negative is the roof and I hope this will be adressed, maybe a lot of
the cost is in this area. Currently it only covers to around half-way
down the stadium and is made of some sirt of synthetic fibre and looks
like a stretched canvas cover. It is not a 'proper' structure and I
doubt will be functional in an English winter.
11. Anothr
potential negative. the best seats in the house will obviously need to
be covered but these at the moment are at least half-way back up the
stadium and then to the top of the stands where the 'footballing' view
is at its worst. That creates a dilemma. I spent most of my time there
at mid-height and I must say i'd be happy to watch football at that
distance/vantage point, from any side of the ground.
12. There are
large areas of the ground that currently are outside the Olympic
'pitch' but to be fair I dont know the measurements required by the IOC
versus the FA. Most especially to the North stand (VIPs). The pitch
will need to be re-sited so bear that in mind when looking at the
veiws. Looking at the design I personally cant see how there is a
retractable seating option that offers anty sort of acceptable veiw -
unless they sink the pitch lower into the ground!
13. I would expect
WH to extend the grass pitch area out towards all sides of the ground
even if its not enlarging the playing area. For sure we must opt for
the largest sized pitch permissable.
14. Overall. it was not as bad
as I had expected distance wise especially given that the stands are
not steeply banked so there is limited sense of 'height'. The bonus
will be access and the surrounding areas and the internals of the
stadium itself. I can forsee a problem with juggling the best seats
with the best view regarding roof cover and stadium position. And I
dont see the 'retractable' option myself. i was told by an official
that by covering (temporarily) the running track the sightlines are
automatically improved! Again the issue i see here is in retaining the
100 metres track which will always create a lop-sidedness, bit like the
current problem with the East Side UP.
highlight of which was a tour of the stadium itself. It's a hard thing
to dis-associate oneself from the 'Olympic experience' and concentrate
on the lagacy that will be our ground, but I'll give it my best shot
without too much rose-tinted specs. There is no doubt however that the
Games will be an incredible spectacle here and the whole site is simply
magnificant in so many respects. Blody shame - criminal one actually -
that the ticket allocation is such a scam.
Right here's my impressions from a WH/supporters persepctive.
1.
The approaches to the stadium site will be cracking and that will help
create an atmosphere in itself. A complete contrast to the Boleyn.
You'll either access it through Westfield shopping center and/or the
residential areas (ex-athletes village) to the South and East or off
the A12 to the west and north or local roads coming into that part.
From the south and east in particular there will be a tremendous sense
of revitalisation and vibrancy and daer I say it a 'feel good factor'.
Everyone will pass close by the iconic Aquatics Centre (by then the
Newham Town Baths).
2. For the Games, the areas around the entry
points for the stadium are reserved for a variety of food &
beverage, official merchandising and sponsers retailing (basically
tent-type or free-satnding). Thus the immediate vicinity around the
stadium is very spacious and I imagine will be kept for matchday
F&B, merchandising etc. This will get people to the ground itself
earlier and create a 'closer' atmosphere around the ground I imagine.
3.
At present you approach entry to the stadium at above 'ground level'.
This gives the impression of the ground being a 'bowl' below ground
when in fact that is not the case.
4. The stadium is very black
and white (literally) in appearance but is not a concrete dominated
structure at all. The walkways are wide. the only colour is provided by
54 (IIRC) different coloured perspex type glass sheets that are used to
infill the structures at the various seating sections. At night these
would look stunning - if changed to claret and blue of course.
5. In
my view the stadium location vs. Boleyn is superb. Transport links are
excellent, Bus, Tube (and new Tube station is planned), Rail (Crossrail
will link in as well as existing lines to Stratford) and road (to the
North and West). However there is very little parking - just the
Westfield car park and current parking at the NW end of the site for
the media centre, if retained. Will be SO much easier for most people
not living within spitting distance of UP - poor bastards.
6. Back
to the stadium itself, it is not as 'sanitised' or 'industrial' as I
had imagined. And this should improve once we spend money on kitting it
out to our specification. It is modern but classic - very much in the
amphi-theartre mould than most new stadia I can think off.
7. The
seating is not steeply banked at all and that is a pleasant surprise.
also quite spacious versus Boleyn and better apportoined space between
rows and ailsles. Another plus. (The posh stands already have wider
'armchair' style seats which i magine will be retained).
8. The
sightlines and views to the pitch overall are absolutley terrific from
any stand or vantage point. There are zero obstructions to any view
anywhere, no stancions, pillars, barriers etc. I will come back to the
topic of football picth sightlines in a bit.
9. There is already an
obvious corporate box area on at least 1 side of the ground which is
equipped with boxes and VIP areas - which is along the north (or east)
stand I think, nearest to what will be the 100 meteres track. This has
seperate access points, escalotors and bomb-proof glass partitioning -
might be useful if BFS hits a losing streak. Behind this seating are
existing hospitality areas which I assume are re-usable.
10. One
negative is the roof and I hope this will be adressed, maybe a lot of
the cost is in this area. Currently it only covers to around half-way
down the stadium and is made of some sirt of synthetic fibre and looks
like a stretched canvas cover. It is not a 'proper' structure and I
doubt will be functional in an English winter.
11. Anothr
potential negative. the best seats in the house will obviously need to
be covered but these at the moment are at least half-way back up the
stadium and then to the top of the stands where the 'footballing' view
is at its worst. That creates a dilemma. I spent most of my time there
at mid-height and I must say i'd be happy to watch football at that
distance/vantage point, from any side of the ground.
12. There are
large areas of the ground that currently are outside the Olympic
'pitch' but to be fair I dont know the measurements required by the IOC
versus the FA. Most especially to the North stand (VIPs). The pitch
will need to be re-sited so bear that in mind when looking at the
veiws. Looking at the design I personally cant see how there is a
retractable seating option that offers anty sort of acceptable veiw -
unless they sink the pitch lower into the ground!
13. I would expect
WH to extend the grass pitch area out towards all sides of the ground
even if its not enlarging the playing area. For sure we must opt for
the largest sized pitch permissable.
14. Overall. it was not as bad
as I had expected distance wise especially given that the stands are
not steeply banked so there is limited sense of 'height'. The bonus
will be access and the surrounding areas and the internals of the
stadium itself. I can forsee a problem with juggling the best seats
with the best view regarding roof cover and stadium position. And I
dont see the 'retractable' option myself. i was told by an official
that by covering (temporarily) the running track the sightlines are
automatically improved! Again the issue i see here is in retaining the
100 metres track which will always create a lop-sidedness, bit like the
current problem with the East Side UP.
