St James' Park

[Bally21]

Just now, NG32 said:

If they moved to the arena area what would they build on St James park?  

 

 

That would be up to the city council as NUFC do not actually own the land SJP is built on - it belongs to the city council.

[Slim]

4 minutes ago, NG32 said:

If they moved to the arena area what would they build on St James park?  

 

 

Student houses

[frankpingel]

5 minutes ago, NG32 said:

If they moved to the arena area what would they build on St James park?  

 

 

That would be up to Newcastle City Council to ultimately decide as they own the land. Suppose it depends if NUFC are relinquishing the lease. 

Sorry Bally21 posted simultaneously.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2024 by frankpingel

[Stifler]

Actually the Freeman of the city own it, and the lease states that it can only be used for sporting use for the use of the people of the city.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The SJP land is not a key city centre location, it’s on the outskirts really. 

[Toon1892]

13 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

The SJP land is not a key city centre location, it’s on the outskirts really. 

What?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 minutes ago, Toon1892 said:

What?

 

The land and location itself is not massively central to the places most people go... if the ground wasn't there. 

[Toon1892]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

The land and location itself is not massively central to the places most people go... if the ground wasn't there. 

The ground is a 5-10 minute walk from the very centre of town. It’s very central. I can’t think of another pl ground that is more central?

 

By changing location you wouldn’t be able to get a more central location. 
 

If they moved to the land next to the Utilitia arena it’ll be a 30-40 min walk depending on which stand you’re in. 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2024 by Toon1892

[Guest]

42 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I don’t see any practical downsides to the arena site, think that’s my preferred option assuming they can’t get SJP up to a big enough capacity. 
 

They are both the city centre.

 

 

 

 

Would be a fantastic sight heading into Newcastle from other side of the river.

[Toon1892]

2 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Would be a fantastic sight heading into Newcastle from other side of the river.

But the current location is a fantastic sight for those people in Newcastle.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

4 minutes ago, Toon1892 said:

The ground is a 5-10 minute walk from the very centre of town. It’s very central. I can’t think of another pl ground that is more central?

 

By changing location you wouldn’t be able to get a more central location. 
 

If they moved to the land next to the Utilitia arena it’ll be a 30-40 min walk depending on which stand you’re in. 

 

Hmm, maybe you're right, I think of them both as similar locations TBH. 

 

Anyway, the point is really that it's a great location for a PL ground, right beside the centre of town. Not as amazing as SJP of course, but acceptable and better than any other realistic site.

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Toon1892 said:

The ground is a 5-10 minute walk from the very centre of town. It’s very central. I can’t think of another pl ground that is more central?

 

By changing location you wouldn’t be able to get a more central location. 
 

If they moved to the land next to the Utilitia arena it’ll be a 30-40 min walk depending on which stand you’re in. 

 

 

 

 

It's a 20 minute walk from the Arena to St James Park, barely a mile. 

 

The last part isn't really much different to entering the Leazes Upper tiers compared to the Gallowgate.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2024 by Optimistic Nut

[NUFC_Chris]

Arena's about a 15 min walk from the Central Station, probably about the same to SJP. The Arena site is less central than SJP though, in terms of the shops and bars etc. It would no doubt attract more investment around the Centre for Life area but probably at the detriment of elsewhere.

[Doctor Zaius]

8 minutes ago, Toon1892 said:

The ground is a 5-10 minute walk from the very centre of town. It’s very central. I can’t think of another pl ground that is more central?

 

By changing location you wouldn’t be able to get a more central location. 
 

If they moved to the land next to the Utilitia arena it’ll be a 30-40 min walk depending on which stand you’re in. 

 

 

 

 

Centre of town is no one set place but you cant get into SJP within 10 minutes on a matchday. If you're at, say the Bigg Market, the time it would take to get into SJP or a stadium at the arena is negligible. Quicker from the train station too. 

 

The arena site is the best you're going to get for a location imo, without moving too far out of town or having to negotiate levelling a Grade II listed Victorian public park (which is pie in the sky imo).

[Toon1892]

3 minutes ago, NUFC_Chris said:

Arena's about a 15 min walk from the Central Station, probably about the same to SJP. The Arena site is less central than SJP though, in terms of the shops and bars etc. It would no doubt attract more investment around the Centre for Life area but probably at the detriment of elsewhere.

Yes but the whole city is in between central station and SJP. Which is what makes the location so good.

 

Central station to the arena is a walk along busy roads. Traffic lights etc.

 

Match days won’t be as good for those that like to make a day of it or visit a few pubs on the way to the game.

[Toon1892]

3 minutes ago, Doctor Zaius said:

 

Centre of town is no one set place but you cant get into SJP within 10 minutes on a matchday. If you're at, say the Bigg Market, the time it would take to get into SJP or a stadium at the arena is negligible. Quicker from the train station too. 

 

The arena site is the best you're going to get for a location imo, without moving too far out of town or having to negotiate levelling a Grade II listed Victorian public park (which is pie in the sky imo).

I’m well aware there’s no one set place. I was responding to someone saying the current ground isn’t in the centre.

 

The main point is you have to walk 10 mins from central station up to the Bigg Market and then 25 mins back to quayside area next to the arena (it may well take longer with match traffic all coming from one direction (unlike the current location)). 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2024 by Toon1892

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Toon1892 said:

Yes but the whole city is in between central station and SJP. Which is what makes the location so good.

 

Central station to the arena is a walk along busy roads. Traffic lights etc.

 

Match days won’t be as good for those that like to make a day of it or visit a few pubs on the way to the game.

 

At worst it'd involve leaving the pub about 15-25 minutes earlier and getting back a bit later surely?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

No doubt moving at all has some negatives, but if we move the arena site seems the only good option.

 

Really the key thing is the amount of capacity that could be realistically added to SJP.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2024 by AyeDubbleYoo

[TBG]

Swap stadiums/land with Gateshead.

 

 

[Toon1892]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

No doubt moving at all has some negatives, but if we move the arena site seems the only good option.

 

Really the key thing is the amount of capacity that could be realistically added to SJP.

 

 

 

Yeah agree. One of the negatives to come from success. Was going to happen though!

[Gallowgate Toon]

I'd be up for the arena site if it was a goer. Repurpose current SJP into a business centre for the club/museum/reduced capacity academy & womens venue. Perhaps it could be an expansion for the foundation.

[Wallsendmag]

7 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

No doubt moving at all has some negatives, but if we move the arena site seems the only good option.

 

Really the key thing is the amount of capacity that could be realistically added to SJP.

 

 

 

 

The problem with extending capacity though is that it's essentially just a Level 7 extension. Adding 8k of the cheapest seats with the worst view in the stadium.

 

Looking at it from a purely business perspective I just can't see the point bearing in mind the cost and then the return.

 

As someone else mentioned that could also be the final nail in the coffin regarding atmosphere at SJP. The L7 expansion absolutely killed the Leazes End. I used to sit there from 1993-2006 and the change in atmosphere from 2000 onwards was tragic. Same could well happen to the Gallowgate.

[Stifler]

If we got the arena site you would think that the disused railway bridge that links Central Station to the site would be used, as it has been proposed for various schemes on the arena site in the past.

[RS]

SJP best located stadium in country, bar none. Can only think Eddie winning a game has meant re focus of whinging and pissmoaning on to stadium/atmosphere. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 minute ago, RS said:

SJP best located stadium in country, bar none.

 

Don't think anyone doubts that. It's just too small now.