TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

The results have been published, makes for an interesting read:

http://torquayunited.com/wp-content/upl ... Y-2017.pdf

A very interesting read, I am impressed at the range of questions asked rather than just asking "Do we need a new stadium or not" which gives me hope that GI are in it for the long run and do want to run our club at a sustainable and professional level.

I do believe they need to make better use of the facilities they have, limited as they are, such as the Gulls Nest. I don't feel it is publicised enough by the club that the Gulls Nest is open to fans before the game, I have only started going in there myself the early part of last season as a mate of mine told me, but not everyone will have that mate to tell them and would depend on the club informing them.

The articles on the website could do with being a bit more thorough, I feel the match previews are very much "this is who we are playing and when" and little else. Team news, opposition's form and injuries, promoting the Gulls Nest for a beer or coke before the game and also club news. Having a page dedicated to any upcoming events, information on TUFC in the community and their latest sessions or soccer camps. All these little things could help to bring people closer to the club.

Credit where credits due, the club's response to the surveys findings are frank and honest.
However I think we should be a little concerned about the demographic of the respondents. Overwhelmingly male, old and long term supporters. Where does the future of this club lay?

Plainmoor78 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2017, 17:03 Credit where credits due, the club's response to the surveys findings are frank and honest.
However I think we should be a little concerned about the demographic of the respondents. Overwhelmingly male, old and long term supporters. Where does the future of this club lay?

I think that tells you where the club through successive regimes has been going wrong.

Plainmoor78 wrote: ↑13 Jul 2017, 17:03 Credit where credits due, the club's response to the surveys findings are frank and honest.
However I think we should be a little concerned about the demographic of the respondents. Overwhelmingly male, old and long term supporters. Where does the future of this club lay?

A very unbiased and interesting assessment.

It is interesting. Mainly given that there is a clear majority that do not want a new stadium or feel it is necessary to have a new stadium to have a Football League club.

We are told this will be used to formulate the 5 year plan, but given that the people who commissioned this research are property developers with a history of property development, I suspect that they will proceed with attempts to purchase the freehold of the stadium, whilst using this feedback as the basis for an overhaul of the club shop or catering/stewarding.

LankyGull wrote: ↑13 Jul 2017, 13:54 A very interesting read, I am impressed at the range of questions asked rather than just asking "Do we need a new stadium or not" which gives me hope that GI are in it for the long run and do want to run our club at a sustainable and professional level.

I do believe they need to make better use of the facilities they have, limited as they are, such as the Gulls Nest. I don't feel it is publicised enough by the club that the Gulls Nest is open to fans before the game, I have only started going in there myself the early part of last season as a mate of mine told me, but not everyone will have that mate to tell them and would depend on the club informing them.

The articles on the website could do with being a bit more thorough, I feel the match previews are very much "this is who we are playing and when" and little else. Team news, opposition's form and injuries, promoting the Gulls Nest for a beer or coke before the game and also club news. Having a page dedicated to any upcoming events, information on TUFC in the community and their latest sessions or soccer camps. All these little things could help to bring people closer to the club.

This is vital. I was saying this every week last season!

The thing is, some items in the report can be done as a quick fixes.

Take, for example, the issue of parking at/near the ground. It must be assumed that this impacts negatively on gates. So picking up on a suggestion in the Change at TUFC thread, arranging a Park and Ride car park, add a bus service and/or minibus and problem solved.

TUFC should be acting on issues like this now, maximise gates, extract as much money from unsuspecting fans as possible whilst they are waiting for kick off, and generally have a big blitz on revenue streams.

It's not rocket science.

Chris

It was for Baker & Phillips

Take, for example, the issue of parking at/near the ground. It must be assumed that this impacts negatively on gates

What issue or problem!? - has anyone not been able to find street parking within 5 - 10 minutes of the ground?

According to the survey parking is a problem, only 16% saying it was good or very good. The Club's response is that it is outside of their control. I was suggesting some help with this issue in line with what others have posted on this forum.

In any case, if attendance can be increased significantly, what then?

Chris

The survey was mostly designed to achieve the answers that GI wanted and was often ambiguous.

Did they mean parking at the ground? (clearly a problem as TUFC do not own the few spaces that are there). If they meant street parking, then really not a problem.

Would it be better at a new stadium - indeed would there be room to have, say, 500 spaces? If it is to be at the Willows, street parking would be worse.

In my opinion, not a significant issue to justify a new stadium.

By the way, who on here would actually use a Park and Ride system - honest answers please!

Remember these words; we only have two and a half years to go then............

“Torbay as a community deserves a multi-purpose stadium capable of attracting new entertainment options, as well as becoming a new home for Torquay United, but I reiterate the point we have always made: nothing will happen to Plainmoor until a new stadium has been built and is ready for use by the football club.......we plan relocation to a new purpose-built stadium by 2020"
~ Clarke Osborne: 17/07/2017

.........now do you really believe that. Has a stadium ever been conceived, approved, built and opened within two and a half years? I leave you to figure that out.

You are never going to build a new stadium in less than three years, what with planning permission and opposition from nimbys. GI couldn't even put a proper case before the council this month. Now Clarke Osbourne isn't stupid, so I wonder what the plan really is now.