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Looking forward to the start of next season with Bristow's Bench in operation, and it's caused me to wonder, if and when the money becomes available, what and where the next Plainmoor ground improvements will be, or should be. Could be a long time coming, of course, but there's no time like the present to begin planning for the future.

Perhaps the Family Stand could be extended and almost doubled in size. And/or the Pop side, the same. Both technically feasible, I would say.
Or, if the club ever completes the purchase of all the properties behind the Babbacombe end, then that stand could be considerably enlarged to accomodate all the away fans we will get when we get into the Championship (!). Or maybe, first and foremost, all the toilet and catering facilities should be improved.

But, in tandem with new planning for the ground, the club should also be looking to generate extra income. What about, for example, scratch card draw tickets sold in local shops. Can't say I've seen any on sale in recent years, yet the club did this sucessfully back in the nineteen-sixties (yes, I can just about remember)!

We will never be as big a club, or have as big a ground, as Plymouth Argyle, but certainly if Torquay United has any kind of ambition at all it should be aiming, gradually and sustainably in the coming years, as it establishes itself in higher leagues, to increase the ground capacity to perhaps 10 or 12 thousand. Surely not that daunting a task? After all, we're talking about evolution, not revolution..

personally i'd like to see the pop side updated to give better acoustics, but i'm guessing we won't see anything else done in the foreseeable.

The bit under the pop needs a make over particularly the toilets

I have said this before in a different thread but I'd really like to see the Pop side extended back to add 50% more terrace.

The only ground development needed in my opinion, and this is a must do, please,please replace the family stand seats, they worn out and look awful, this will only be highlighted even more by the new seats in the Bristows bench.

With a bit of luck enough seats have been ordered to the bench and the family stand.

Just an idea - with Bristows Bench adding some many seats - how about making the family stand as it is a standing area. Plenty of room know for those who wish to sit in the new stand and would increase the possible capacity at Plainmoor.

Richinns wrote:Just an idea - with Bristows Bench adding some many seats - how about making the family stand as it is a standing area. Plenty of room know for those who wish to sit in the new stand and would increase the possible capacity at Plainmoor.

Not sure the club could do that, might be wrong here, but I think to comply with ground regulations league 2 clubs have to have 2000 seats, the bench will 1750, so the family stand would have to remain all seated.

Correct, Dave. Tis the reason why Crawley & AFCW have had to add a temporary stand, or in Wimbledon's case, prepare to do so.

Would like to see the sound system upgraded and a better scoreboard with clock. Would also love a sniper tower so all crap officials can be dealt with swiftly :devil:

The first thing that needs to be done is to have a complete refurbishment of the Pop side bogs. They are an absolute disgrace: stinking, flooded, uncomfortable, and redolent of the days when clubs could not care less about their paying customers. Would you go anywhere else who provided bogs like these? The answer is NO.
Nothing could sum up more vividly the dying remnants of fifties, sixties and seventies football grounds than those reeking, foul, dripping bogs.

Also, I agree with the above contributor re: the sound system. In the popular side it cannot (or can barely be) heard. One benefit of increasing the level of sound would be to drown out any drumming (which, happily, occurs less and less).

we are getting a score board/big screen! whats wrong with drumming?

GulldenBoy wrote:I have said this before in a different thread but I'd really like to see the Pop side extended back to add 50% more terrace.

I also would like to see the Pop side redeveloped.

Nothing wrong with the drum and it helps to generate a good atmosphere IMO.

Get a licensed bar under the away end, maximise profits from away fans.

nothing wrong with the drum, wakes up the dummys on the pop side