Torquay United Fans Forum

THEA FOR MAYOR. THEA FOR MAYOR!!!!! :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf:

I think the Mayor should have seeked from the council a general consensus before offering the deal to the club. This seems to be the mistake and I agree its unprofessional.

I do think in general the council is trying to do its best with regards the bay in though. The new developments at the Palm court one example. Re-development of the pavilion as well. Its not an easy job keeping everyone happy and they need development partners, but also to make sure no one is taking the piss. And its not the best of times to seek major investments. I actually think Torbay has good prospects and it just might benefit the club in the long run, who knows.

Have to say I'm very very, impressed and if I'm honest quiet suprised with Thea's commitment to the TQY fans cause.

Shortly after being dropped in the brown sticky stuff by certain consortium members, who had historically said " TQY fans have nothing to fear, we really do bled the yellow and blue of TUFC" then legging it, she try's to buy the ground! I honestly thought she'd had enough and was her way!

Pity that she had the rug pulled from under her by the council with some cack about the election, more like she wasn't the buyer they wanted, corruption ? Certainly wouldn't suprise ME.

This lady needs and certainly deserves our full support and help.

Ever thought about standing for election Thea? I'd vote for you on the basis you have more honesty in your little finger than most of the council put together.

Just what the heck is going on? From my distance the whole situation about the club is becoming a shambles. Whatever can Mr Thomas be thinking?
Just in the week when the focus should be on Saturday's Trophy fixture. As I've said before off-field problems usually affect (negatively) performances on the pitch. Hope I'm wrong.
What I'm unclear about is had Mrs Bristow bought Plainmoor would she have continued to 'run' the club? Or would she see owning the ground as her pension whilst handing over the day to day running to somebody else?
The whole saga is becoming very confusing. Can anyone shed some informed - not guesswork - light on what's happening?

Oh dear! What a mess!

According to the Herald last week,Torbay Council - in the form of Mayor Gordon Oliver [b]approached[/b] TUFC last week "offering" them the chance to buy the Freehold and it seems even naming the price. By all accounts a meeting was held and after short consideration Thea Bristow confirmed that she would like to go ahead at the agreed price - only to subsequently receive a letter saying that it was no longer for sale!

It's a fact that in all walks of life, there are "time wasters" - individuals who agree on a deal to buy or sell something at an agreed price and then, for whatever reason, change their mind. It's bleddy annoying when it happens , particularly when it's something major like a property deal BUT that's life. When it's the local Mayor and/ or the local Council it just smacks of unprofessionalism - whatever your politics.

Clearly Mayor Oliver and his own party members don't see "eye to eye" at the moment - although bizarrely he remains their candidate for the mayoral elections in May - but whatever the reasons behind this complete about turn, literally within a matter of days, it smacks of complete amateurism, indecision and a case of one or other or both not having a clue what they are doing!

I suppose it's nothing less than anyone would expect with the decision makers in the Council as it seems a constant struggle to make any sort of progress in the Bay with these clowns in charge. Despite signs of the Bay beginning to turn a corner (at least it feels like it to me) we will forever be held back by those in power who lack the imagination and it seems authority to make the changes which are desperately needed.

A complete and utter shambles - but nothing less than we have come to expect! :@

[quote="Behind-the-Gulls"]Plainmoor NOT for sale-according to Herald Express today- any decision has been put off by the Council until after the election.
Thea confirmed that she would have put up the money to buy it and is disappointed its not available to purchase-yet.[/quote]

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/TORQUAY-UNITED-Thea-Bristow-wants-buy-ground/story-25966428-detail/story.html

Standard Torbay Council

Plainmoor NOT for sale-according to Herald Express today- any decision has been put off by the Council until after the election.
Thea confirmed that she would have put up the money to buy it and is disappointed its not available to purchase-yet.

Thank you for that!
Listening to today's HE podcast everything is still up for grabs. I wonder how this is going to pan out?

[quote="nickbrod"]Reading these comments triggered a memory! In the Braintree programme where we lost 2-0 in a lacklustre performance in December there was the following under the caption "10 bits about Torquay United":
Plans For The Future: "The club are looking to buy the houses behind the away end and building an extension to the away end and also to acquire the school (Westlands) and build a bigger grandstand to increase the capacity to around 9000."
Now where did this information come from? Or have I missed something?[/quote]

Ah Nick, the dangers of Wikipedia! That line has been "lifted" straight off the TUFC Wikipedia page ... See here:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torquay_United_F.C.

Just somebody having a bit of "fun" I guess and nobody has got around to deleting it. Never been part of the club's plans as far as I am aware and given that the away end has hardly been used at all this season, except for just a handful of games, the idea that the club would actually extend the away end - how often did we see more than 1500 away fans anyway, even when we were in the League - would be just plain daft. As for a 9000 capacity, I cannot think of a single game in the last 20 years where we could have come even close to needing that!

Just a lazy bit of "research" on the part of the Braintree programme editor.

Reading these comments triggered a memory! In the Braintree programme where we lost 2-0 in a lacklustre performance in December there was the following under the caption "10 bits about Torquay United":
Plans For The Future: "The club are looking to buy the houses behind the away end and building an extension to the away end and also to acquire the school (Westlands) and build a bigger grandstand to increase the capacity to around 9000."
Now where did this information come from? Or have I missed something?

Also interesting reading - a sympathetic council!

[url]http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/modgov?modgovlink=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.plymouth.gov.uk%2FmgInternet%2FieDecisionDetails.aspx%3FId%3D2630[/url]

[url]http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Council-loan-Plymouth-Argyle-800-000-pay-debts/story-23005781-detail/story.html[/url]

http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/case-studies/local-authority-community-football-club-work-together-community-benefit/

Interesting reading...

Demolish the Bowling Club & build dwellings on the site ( if Planning Approval is possible), re-design the Away End & build more dwellings over the stand. This could be a joint enterprise with the Council, with United being given the ground on completion.

Gullscorer. I agree and elaborating a bit on your point, I wonder how many fans actually attend more than say 80% of home games. I guess we have some indication with regards season ticket holders.

Phill, yes but that was for the club NOT including the ground. I would think the Councils motivation is to get capital in for some project they need to do, hopefully affordable homes or some support for the elderly. And they would I guess (even though the covenant exists) base the value of the land on re-development. The Council get a rent from the club now, they would lose this if they sold it, so the capital they receive would need to compensate this by some degree.

We, well I don't know what figure they have in mind, but I cannot see it being below 500k, but I guess we will find out at some point. Anybody have any ideas / view on the value of plainmoor.

Neal, your last paragraph indicates why attendances at Plainmoor have always been poor, even at the best of times: low wages, seasonal employment, poverty and a large elderly population. This is also why your figure of 3000 hard-core fans is certainly optimistic. I'd put the number at closer to 1000, with another 4000 fans who, at a push, can just afford to attend half the games or fewer, plus many more who are able to visit Plainmoor only on rare occasions. It's little wonder that fund-raising efforts yield low results compared with those of other clubs. We in this area are indeed poor relations..