I'm confused, the way I heard it, no boxes, just access to seats from hospitality where the boxes were. You can't maintain the rake (which can't be any less) and bring the seats closer to the pitch without having that extra height.
Yeah, this. Im no builder but the sensible option is to knock down the existing lower tier, then build a new lower tier closer to the pitch, fully straight without the kinks, and at the same rake of the new North Bank. This new tier will not be built at its final height due to the upper tier sightlines, but instead temporarily finish at the same height of the existing hospitality boxes.
These boxes will then be converted in entrance/exits onto the new tier, albeit with a possible walkway to it due to it being closer to the pitch. Think West Hams ground. Then when the upper tier gets redeveloped (God knows when), they already have most of the bottom tier already in place, so they might add the remainder height to the bottom tier close season (to limit the reduced capacity), while the new upper tier gets built during that season. Joining both tiers up with the existing North Bank.
just my thoughts.
I’ve reread it, and this is what I think what Russell meant including my speculation in addition to what he actually said.
He says they would demolish the lower tier, and reprofile it to bring the front up to the second set of LED screens along the pitch. He says, as we’ve speculated before, that by stretching the lower tier forward you could add seats, and he says around 1,100 seats is possible.
He then says this will allow them to move the away fans out of the SBL, but doesn’t say where to. My speculation is to the northern end of the SBU, which would require new access to be built. A more ambitious solution would be to complete the NE Quad, bringing it round to the edge of the Steve Bull, and allowing all the away fans to move there. Since the tiers are higher than the Steve Bull this would work, but would require changes to the Steve Bull roof, at least at the northern end, so the new seats at the top would all be usable.
He implies the upper tier will not be demolished, but would be significantly changed, because he talks about using the void space for a restaurant for hospitality, doubling the size of the concourses, and replacing the plate glass on the outside of the stand so it matches the North Bank. My speculation is that they may also reprofile the upper tier to match the new lower tier, so the current cranked profile would be hidden. They could also then extend the seat pitch to bring it up to modern standards rather than the knee breakers we have there today.
He doesn’t mention the roof, but I’d speculate a new or modified roof to provide cover for the extended lower tier, and remove the sight line restrictions in the NE quad would make sense (especially if planned to complete the NE Quad). It would also fit better with a reprofiled upper tier and allow them tidy up and complete the junction between the Steve Bull and NE Quad.
He also talks about changing the hospitality facilities “on the second tier”, but he doesn’t say in what way. My speculation is it would be similar to the North Bank, with the posh seats along the top of the new SBL, and the existing boxes gutted / opened up to create a new larger, indoor hospitality level, reaching back into the office/void behind as he mentioned.
The £16m quoted is not just for the new lower tier, but for the whole Steve Bull renovation - the new bigger lower tier, the external refurbishment, moving the away fans, the enlarged concourses, and the new hospitality. So once done, the Steve Bull would look more or less like a new stand, especially if they also fitted a new roof. We know from prior quotes that a key reason for renovation is not to minimise loss of capacity / revenue during the work, so I assume a phased project starting with the new lower tier, followed by the work on the upper tier and external facade.
Russell Jones, Wolves general manager for marketing & commercial growth, was next up on Ask Wolves, handling questions on a variety of topics, including...
www.wolves.co.uk
Perhaps one of our journalist friends who browse MolMix could ask Jeff or Russell next time to clarify, and if the club has some images of their vision of a remodelled Steve Bull stand they could share with fans…