Fans' forum, Tues 25 Feb 2025
Manager Nigel Clough and director Sid Pepper
Host: Mark Stevenson
in conjunction with the Stags Supporters’ Association.
venue: Radford Foundation Marquee at One Call Stadium
sold out
Available in full on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9MXsQDHZEA
selected notes by Darren Shaw of Stags Fans United
Sid Pepper on the Redevelopment of the Bishop Street Stand.
Fans Forum: 25th February 2025
Key points:
It would have cost around £500,000 to demolish the Bishop Street and build a retaining wall. It was decided that it was better to try and restore the stand otherwise nothing would have happened.
It will not be the most attractive stand but most importantly the stand will have been saved and fans will be able to use it again.
A good consulting engineer advised on whether the restoration project was viable.
The stand was not level or parallel to the pitch. It is much tighter at one end than the other.
It will be an all seater stand holding around 500 Fans. Entry will be from the Quarry Lane End. It all needs to be approved by the Safety Advisory Group.
There have been two men on site from Day One. Everything has had to be done by hand due to lack of access from Bishop Street.
It was discovered that some of the steel structure had badly corroded and holes in the steel columns were discovered when the brickwork was removed.
A lot of money has been spent on concreting underground.
The men's toilets have been levelled up and will be amazing. The ladies and disabled toilets will be in portakabins on the side.
New concrete will go over the existing terracing on the sides.
A new roof will be put on the stand and there will be corporate boxes at the top of the stand. The TV Gantry will also be put back up on the roof along with the original clock.
The restoration of the stand has cost a lot of money and John Radford is overseeing the financing of the redevelopment.
It was originally hoped to open for Christmas but it will now be the end of this season.
