The Lower Grounds Matchday experience

[John]

3 hours ago, PeterSw said:

Also confirmation that it's actually unlimited alcohol too judging from the drinks menu 

I had said that to someone who sits by me at the ground, but he said that he had heard that it was a two drink maximum. It does say "only 2 alcoholic drinks per ID transaction will be served" on the menu, but why would that be the case if it's unlimited alcohol (as everyone in there would have been checked to get in), unless they don't want people ordering rounds? 

[Wainy316]

If it's unlimited booze then this is actually decent value.

[Villatillidie95]

Looks dead and soulless to me, sad to see people involved in designing this thing praising it to high heaven online. I checked out the fanzone due to getting to the game early for the first time and they had a villa fan singing and playing the guitar followed by a Q+A with Tony Daley which was quite good. £6.30 for a Moretti from the drinks hut thing, quite speedy service. Wouldnt do it every week or get there early specificially but if i do then its not the worst thing in the world, better than paying for the new TV or LG hospitality areas and instead of paying a pub entrance fee it can go toward the beer.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Villatillidie95

[allani]

46 minutes ago, John said:

I had said that to someone who sits by me at the ground, but he said that he had heard that it was a two drink maximum. It does say "only 2 alcoholic drinks per ID transaction will be served" on the menu, but why would that be the case if it's unlimited alcohol (as everyone in there would have been checked to get in), unless they don't want people ordering rounds? 

I think it also says that the inclusive drinks package is not included 30 mins before kick-off or 1 hour after the game - so presumably they are happy with you getting 2 pints at 2.25 (usual kick-off time) or at 5.55pm but don't want you ordering 10 pints at 5.55pm and staying until you've finished them all.  Which I guess makes sense.

[OutByEaster?]

It is unlimited drinks.

 

[AVFCGB]

My take for what it’s worth on the TV and LG is this:

I pay a tenner to park on the Upper Grounds

Call it a fiver for the programme. 

Couple of drinks another tenner.

Some street food about another tenner

so potentially that’s £35 on top of my season ticket.  If the club said right if you become a member of the TV or LG and we will include pre-match parking in the Holte then I would probably pay £40 per game which feels about right.  Parking may be a challenge but couldn’t the club do a deal with Aston Hall?  Would rather give the Club £10/15 for closer parking.

As I said this is just my thoughts so please don’t shoot the messenger.

 

[OutByEaster?]

15 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Does feel like we've done all this 12 months early.

We have - the damage to the Holte Suite caused by the Terrace View construction meant they had a choice between spending money fixing it this season then spending again on developing it in the future or just spending once and bringing forward their plans. I think we've rushed it through - I think it'll improve as it beds in.

 

[Villatillidie95]

I don't think the 'ambience' is right....it looks very bright, like a Lidl supermarket or something like that....too 'in your face'....people paying would probably be expecting a less sterile and more subtle atmosphere

[punkiller1981]

Not sure if it’s to do with the Lowe ground experience or not but I’m a member (on the season ticket waiting list) and I’m trying to get tickets in the upper holte and the back 7/8 rows have available seats but with exclamation marks on them and I’m not able to book them. Anybody else had this problem ?

[MrBlack]

1 hour ago, punkiller1981 said:

Not sure if it’s to do with the Lowe ground experience or not but I’m a member (on the season ticket waiting list) and I’m trying to get tickets in the upper holte and the back 7/8 rows have available seats but with exclamation marks on them and I’m not able to book them. Anybody else had this problem ?

They're the Terrace view linked seats rather than Lower grounds. 

[AndyM3000]

1 hour ago, punkiller1981 said:

Not sure if it’s to do with the Lowe ground experience or not but I’m a member (on the season ticket waiting list) and I’m trying to get tickets in the upper holte and the back 7/8 rows have available seats but with exclamation marks on them and I’m not able to book them. Anybody else had this problem ?

You have to donate an organ before you get access to these seats. 

[punkiller1981]

4 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

They're the Terrace view linked seats rather than Lower grounds. 

Do you know if they open them up to members if they don’t sell? I’m seeing this as the end if my time going Villa park if it stays this way

[El Segundo]

I understand why the club are doing this kind of thing and it is necessary if we want to compete at the very top.  If we get some success it will also mean, inevitably, an increase in tourist half and half scarf glory hunting types. 

What I've found annoying though is the disingenuous way the club has gone about it.  Looking at the blurb for the Terrace View and it goes on about  the "enhanced experience" that fans asked for in the survey, which includes enhanced wifi, quicker drinks service etc.  Now I remember the survey asking if I would want an enhanced experience at the Holte End, I remember being asked if I wanted improved wifi, better toilets, better food choice, and faster drinks service.  Of course I said yes to these, assuming it would lead to improvements for everyone in the Holte.  I don't recall being asked if I wanted these things as part of a paid for package.  If I was asked, I'm pretty sure I would have answered no and so would most other Holter Enders.  I just think the survey may have been worded ambiguously, and that it was maybe no accident.

Then the  Holte Suite was meant to just be closing for refurb and that's what they led us to believe - obviously didn't want to risk hitting season ticket sales by pissing off STHs even more before the season started.  Get your captive audience money first, then hit them with the reduction in benefits.  

It just smacks of underhand tactics, deceit and manipulation.   

Quote

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by El Segundo

[mikeyp102]

5 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

If it's unlimited booze then this is actually decent value.

It’s not really. Unless you’re necking a lot. 3 hrs before KO, so let’s say £6 a pint, that’s likely to be 6 pints pre game. So you’d have to spend £24 on the food, which by the sounds of it was just the regular concourse food. 

[Kingman]

All 3 UEFA games have sold out and just 10 left for West Ham 

[OutByEaster?]

5 minutes ago, Kingman said:

All 3 UEFA games have sold out and just 10 left for West Ham 

Interesting  that the Luton game only has 72 places left and that's not on sale yet.

I suspect there's some chicanery at play.

 

[OutByEaster?]

Looking at the prices for upcoming league games and there's a huge change

For season ticket holders - kids go free - so if you're a family of season ticket holders with two U14's - you pay £60.00 for all three of you and unlimited food and drink - that's actually a bargain.

 

[Kingman]

3 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Interesting  that the Luton game only has 72 places left and that's not on sale yet.

I suspect there's some chicanery at play.

 

Probably be more away fans in there! 

[OutByEaster?]

That's incredible when you think about it, it was £36.00 for an u14 against Brighton and they've taken it down to £0.00 - zero, nada, zilch.

Bizarrely, we've made an all you can drink licensed area that's become the best place in the stadium for kids on the qt.

Less surprising of course and entirely in keeping with the way these places work, the club haven't publicised this change at all.

Have I got this right?

It seems too generous to be true.

 

[tomav84]

39 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

That's incredible when you think about it, it was £36.00 for an u14 against Brighton and they've taken it down to £0.00 - zero, nada, zilch.

Bizarrely, we've made an all you can drink licensed area that's become the best place in the stadium for kids on the qt.

Less surprising of course and entirely in keeping with the way these places work, the club haven't publicised this change at all.

Have I got this right?

It seems too generous to be true.

 

it fell on its arse this weekend that's why. kids go free, family/friends of staff members for free too. these were last minute changes (i understand) to fill the area as evidenced by the empty spaces in the upper doug and trinity

it really was poorly advertised that it was all you can drink (maybe didn't want to alert the police?) to the point that there was much debate whether it was or not until confirmed by those that were there

anyway down to 5 seats left for west ham, so the kids going free thing in addition to confirmation on the open bar seems to have worked. lets see how long it lasts at these prices