The Abbey will Remain

[Habbinalan]

Plans are out for the Abbey refurbishment.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Abb...ting-Village/story-26518963-detail/story.html

I'll probably be in my box before it starts never mind being complete - but there's no viable Plan B.

Good news - the traditional bucolic walk for away fans is retained and the NRE will be a terrace.

Bad news - the tallest floodlights left in the league (I think) are under threat

 

[womble76]

Could you move the pitch closer to the away stand please. Ta

 

[Habbinalan]

Could you move the pitch closer to the away stand please. Ta

In hand - but not for a couple of seasons at least. The new NRE will pinch a bit of the pitch and building is unlikely until 2019 earliest.

 

[Duffy]

We might see it in 10 years if it's anything like ours.

 

[Habbinalan]

These plans look a bit more like something to lift the spirits and a significant improvement on the plans/drawings in the Cambridge News article - even if we still lose the iconic floodlights. It'll take another big injection of capital (or another FA Cup windfall) for phase 2 and 3 to become reality and phase 1 will only happen IF Grosvenor get planning for their Trumpington houses .........but all the noises are right.

http://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/n...ing-vision-for-the-abbey-stadium-2466543.aspx

Can't keep everything crossed for 18 months but we can certainly feel that we're in a very different place to

 

[Judge Dredd]

I notice that the "plans" include a safe standing end. Has safe standing been given the go-ahead by the powers-that-be now then? My understanding was that it was still under review.

I'd love it if we included a safe standing terrace if we ever do manage to relocate.

 

[Habbinalan]

As I understand the situation:

1. We are assuming that the Championship will have seen sense of allowing terraces (I hate "safe standing." Our current terraces are safe and the only unsafe standing these days is in seated stands) before we get there - possibly even before we build. You might aspire to a more rapid rise.
2. No problem building terraces at L1 and L2 but you can't get FA funding at the moment.
3. The majority of our fans want a terraced area.
4. Our NRE fans and many in the Habbin are vehement and voiciferous about wanting standing terracing in the plans
5. It's the cheapest (possibly only) way to get our capacity towards 12,000.

For interest, here is the current layout:

 

[Tom_CUFC]

It will be more like a proper terrace rather than rail seating, which is what you immediately think of when people say "safe standing". One of the ends at Morecambe (can't remember which) is a "safe standing" terrace. Fundamentally just means a few more barriers, I think.

 

[rudebwoyben]

The Abbey Will Remain sounds like an episode title for Game of Thrones.

 

[Arbury]

personally I think this looks fantastic but I'll believe it when I see it, heard all this to many times before.

This is the best way forward, unfortunately the heart and soul went long ago(that ginger tosser) and quite frankly, we have fuck all else to go with.

 

[Laker]

I'm sceptical about future phases happening and for that reason I wish there were more revenue generating opportunities included in the redevelopment of the NRE - ie corporate/conference facilities included. I think we're missing a massive opportunity with this.

My idea for that end includes terracing but is quite different.

 

[Duffy]

I'm sceptical about future phases happening and for that reason I wish there were more revenue generating opportunities included in the redevelopment of the NRE - ie corporate/conference facilities included. I think we're missing a massive opportunity with this.

My idea for that end includes terracing but is quite different.

The revenue opportunities really are the key to future success, thank god we have that element with our new community stadium. If I remember rightly Burton actually make more from off field revenue than they do from gate receipts which allows them to punch above their weight. The illustration looks rather like our set up but with a larger away end although ours is all seater.

 

[SouthCarolinaStone]

I remember going there in 1990 for the playoff semi final first leg and it seemed to take forever to walk from the coach to the ground. I was in the very end of the stand along so we must have had a decent support that day. Mark Gall's late equaliser made the walk back more satisfying. I always had a little smile when travelling past there on my way to Newmarket a few years ago