The Bill Nicholson Stadium, thank you very much
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 11:22PM Blog articles might be a little sporadic from me in the next several weeks, most of my active on-line time will be in late evenings and the early hours of am. Good news, no more epic 10,000 word extravaganzas for a while, so happy days for people who like short, snappy blogs that don't choke up valuable time away from surfing porn. Although this one is ye olde slighter bigger than average size edition.
Guest bloggers have been busy with off-line duties too, but they've all checked in, so plenty to come in this summer of World Cup disappointment (it's going to be penalties again) and the usual shenanigans what we have come to love and know as the 'summer transfer window' (Spurs fan up a tree looking into The Lodge, in 3...2...1...).
Anyways, tonight's article is simply this: I love the new revised stadium design (re: Northumberland Dev Project). Official site article here if you've been asleep all day. To quote the sexy key bits:
• A redesign of the Southern area of the site resulting in a stunning new design for the hotel and residential buildings.
• An enlarged public square on a raised podium, which extends from the High Road to Worcester Avenue and connects directly into the Stadium, new Tottenham Hotspur Foundation offices set alongside facilitating even greater community use and activity.
• A high quality environment along the High Road with a new courtyard setting for retained historic buildings to the South and trees, gates and structures in front of the Stadium linking to the existing terrace of historic buildings to the North.
• Grade II listed Warmington House, along with 3 other locally listed buildings with historic links to the Club, to be retained - the Red House, Dispensary and the former White Hart Pub - all to be refurbished and brought back to life.
• Fantastic new Club Megastore with integrated Club museum, ticket office and café.
• Further improvements to the development including a Skybar and roof garden on the adjacent supermarket, linked directly to the Stadium.
• The re-use of the famous Bill Nicholson Gates, ‘Cockerel on the Ball' Clock and ‘Golden Cockerel' statue within the public realm.
Lovely. So basically we are looking to retain some history along with improving on the original design (hotel and residential stuff).
I'm glad we were asked to go away and come back again because if you compare the original design (the one that had no listed buildings left after the proposed rebuild) to the new one, you'll be hard pressed to disagree that it's not been improved on, tenfold.
Original design:
New revised proposed design:
For actual photo close ups of the listed buildings, click on the below links:
http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/pix/articles/tot5.jpg
http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/pix/articles/tot6.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/3107773597_b714451612.jpg
Regulars to the Lane will get a better perspective of things seeing the above linked photos. What does make me smile is that these buildings have sat there, some of which are derelict, and nothing has been done - by anyone - to restore them to former or in-fact newly-improved glory. We want to knock them down, and machine says no. Doubtful they would say no to the new plans. Why would they when we are giving them purpose once more?
I could handcuff myself to the gates if things got tasty with the board of directors
Nothing to hate, everything to love about this. Not too shabby of a new Spurs Shop either. For more information on the building which formally had the Cockerel at the front of it (Red House) click here. There's a bit of nostalgia attached (or not so much of since 2008) and retaining the Bill Nick gates along with that removed golden Cockerel, we get a nice nod to the past. Obviously, security must be tight here, on the look out for any cheeky West Ham fans that might drive up the high road at 4am to pay us a visit and leave their calling card for us to choke over whilst we tuck into our morning bowl of corn flakes.
Again, can't believe I didn't hate on the original design more when I first saw it (the hotel part of it).
Kudos to the Bill Nick inclusion too. Mr Tottenham Hotspur deserves this elegant touch for a new era, linking us right back to when this club became a fully fledged giant (before falling into deep sleep again for a while).
Shame there are no multi-millionaire pound companies called Bill Nicholson out there looking to buy the rights to the naming of the new stadium. Because I can't think of a better name for it.
Perhaps we could request the sponsor to be part of a pre-determined template, i.e. The Bill Nicholson 'enter sponsor here' Stadium?
Petition anyone?
Stadium images can all be found in their original form over at the official site.
Reader Comments (59)
New plans do indeed look better. Hopefully this is how the system is supposed to work, find that good compromise.
Would be nice if the naming rights didn't go to a gambling company, onilne porn site, budget supermarket, etc etc.
love it, plenty of space around the front(? or side, whatever) for a boozy pre-match
Great idea, but sponsors would never go for it (and neither would Mr Levy) due to the negative financial impact on naming rights sponsorship deal (but oyu knew that anyway right!). Unfortunately, only way that could potentially happen is if a cashed up Arab (or similar) now ses Spurs as a club on the up (new ground and champions league) !! What ever happened to all the rumours some time ago about Levy 'developing Spurs as fantastic opportunity for a big investor'??
Off topic - but as I am currently in Oz I have read a couple of blogs over here in regards to tomorrows (Fridays) British tabloids stating "Spurs Make record Siging"......? Any substance to that (in Oz at the mo)..???? Great article by the way.... Great site!! COYS and COME ON ENGLAND!! Heres to a great footballing 2010/2011 !!!
That rumour is still on going. I'm sure I read a financial article a while back suggesting all these proposed development stuff is simply to beef up the portfolio.
why not gambling?
the bill nicholson mansion would have a great ring to it! (unlikely we'll be seeing any more money from mansion tho!)
:)
I was going to reply "hope so", but in all honesty I believe we have a great chairman that learns from his mistakes, that has fronted up more cash than most whilst keeping us profitable!!! AAhhh but then again, I look at the Man City shopping list $$$ + Champions league = the next 20mins or so daydreaming about a Arab Prince riding into WHL on his white stallion dragging behind him 1/2 of the Spanish National Team!!
Looks great increased space and better access all around hotel is a better monolithic form and looks like and probably works like a sound barrier dont care what anyone says WHITE HART LANE IS THE NAME NOTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KEEP THE NAME EVEN IF THE CLUB AND MEDIA TRY TO AMERICANISE IT>> If we keep calling it THE LANE it will remain THE LANE
Just manage another 25% on weekly wage budget, would help us no end, on the pitch at least....
im still waiting for them to introduce plans for a bronze statue of the great man!!!
i would be confident in trusting levy. Like redknapp, we were all dubious about his skills to lead us to waht we dreamed of. And like redknapp, he has earned the right to be able to say 'leave it to me lads, ill take care of it'. Who cares what its corporate name is, its still white hart lane innit!!
although the revised plans look a bit less cluttered than the original, I just felt I had to say something;
Warmington House? Really? Where were these historical preservation nurks when the buildings in question got boarded up? Britain's Heritage: derelict old buildings, apparently. Fuck off, the lot of 'em. These people will bleat on about history and deliver cheap platitudes about heritage, but when it comes to the hard slog, you barely hear from them until someone else with half a plan comes along. I haven't lived in the area for a long time now, but preserving dilapidated tenements "because they're old, innit" hardly strikes me as being in the public interest.
Whatever. Hope the ground gets broken sooner than later. Neighbourhood could use some spit and polish.
I like the 'Bill Nick 'mention,but would like to see Alf Ramsey remembered as well.
Should have a fan poll to who have had the greatest influences on THFC (management AND players) .. Top say, 10 or 20 should be placed 'tastefully' in statue form around the ground, to demonstrate our history, success and talent we have had at the club over the years. Lets mix the old greats and memories with the new stunning ground and fantasic new era about to descend at "THE LANE"... Lets face it guys we have had so many with amaizing capabilities and genius, why limit it to 1 or 2? COYS COYS COYS COYS COYS COYS !!!!!!!
Yes its would be great if Billy Nick was the name for new stadium, But it wont happen. Anyway the goons will be envious of our new gaff, as theirs will look so plain against it oh yes hahaha! Well done Mr Levy for pushing on with your promises. Yid army we aint mad but bloody barmy!
The redesign seems to have taken on board a lot of the criticisms raised here
http://www.cabe.org.uk/design-review/tottenham-hotspur-football-stadium
in short for the original plan The stadium was great but the supermarket, open space, hotel and flats were all rushed.
Not one for changing names or squats, leave that to our unwelcome neighbours. I would like to think whatever name we are labeled with for the new stadium, the faithful will still call it White Hart Lane.
As for the Bill Nicholson idea, how about calling the new one tear stand `The Bill Nicholson Stand.?
Whatever is needed to get it approved but I think the retained buildings just look silly. And as you say no-one gave a toss about them before.
great! dosnt look like a massive car park anymore. but where will I do my prowling now? i depend on the old stadium design and made a business plan on its merits.
utter disgrace, bring back the car park design so the real working class heroes can earn their bread!
whos with me!
Okay, the stadium looks fine. Hotel is good, but these four odd and unremarkable buildings will block all the sightlines of what could be a fine looking vista up the Tottenham High Road.
Not really worth the effort and the sort of compromise we shouldn't have to deal with.
But Levy still hasn't mentioned one obvius thing about the whole redevelopment - the money!
Do we borrow? How much will loans cost us in the long run. With all the best will in the world, we probably can't expect Champions League football every year - lovely if we could, but I'm a realist.
Or will Uncle Joe in the Bahamas dig around in his large pockets and cough £300M?
Not being negative - just asking the awkward questions now, before we turn into the next Liverpool.
DSDSPURS: I like the idea, a bit like St. Peter's square in the Vatican where statues of all the saints are lined up along the edges, we should have a similar array of WHL legends. I can see it now, El Tel brandishing a wad next to Peter Shreeves. Glenn Hoddle in a shellsuit. Christian Gross brandishing an underground ticket.
This is going to sound like some ITK bollocks but it is 100% true. A mate of mine helped design the stadium as well as the new training centre. We got him drunk one night and he told us all about it months before the new stadium plans were announced. His touch was to create a display area where the previous season's trophy or trophies (if any) would be on view above the point where the Away fans enter the ground, so they can look up and marvel at our success. Nice touch, I thought, though I can't tell from what's on the website whether this has been adopted. I also have some tales about the design of the training centre, I'll drop in some details about about that later.
Agree on the preserved buildings, they stick out like a sore thumb as they are shown above.
It looks even more awesome now. The hotel looks way better now and that space is fantastic. I cant wait to be looking at it for real and that raised podium reminds me a little of a small wembley way - Bill Nick way perhaps? It gives me goosebumps. If this comes off it really could be the catalyst to propel us forwards into the big time. If we get it right financially and I see no reason why we shouldnt as Levy has got it spot on so far. The future is bright the future is Lilywhite. COYS
That CABE report looks well thought out - definitely worth a read. Complex projects like this have to be really well designed so you don't end up with 'no go areas', etc. The original housing design appears to be small flats aimed at the buy to let market (so no community there then), and it would be a concern that the site turns into a huge supermarket carpark.
I reckon some shrewd marketing team should throw a few million at us for the naming rights but allow the club to call it the Bill Nicholson Stadium.
That would be worth a fortune in publicity alone and the gratitude of Spurs fans for ever more.
leaves me a bit cold. probably I just prefer traditional grounds like WHL with its history and atmosphere. I think we will miss it when it is gone.
I for one think it all looks good. Either way we need to get the ball rolling!
Don't forget to register your support for the scheme here:
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/futureplanspetition
"Further to that, the Club can reveal that the statue will be positioned in the centre of the gates thereby re-creating the iconic photograph of Bill at the gates, taking pride of place on the south west approach to the stadium."
So a bronze statue will be placed there. I wonder where Arry's statue will be placed when we will the Champions League, Premier league Double in the 2011/2012 season?
Outside Upton Park mate. To go alongside the ones of Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and co that will also be built. If it weren't for West Ham United...
Off topic but I had to share the sad news: Fergie says Berbatov is not for sale!
spooky, won't the spammers be taking up residence at the olympic stadium by then? If so statutes will be right next to the for sale sign that reads 'one slightly dented baton, £5 ovno. please contact british olympic association - athletics dept'.
Keep the name White Hart Lane - it is so unique! I will be really upset if we lose the name WHL. I'd settle for "sponsor name at White Hart Lane".
I haven't got a helicopter so I'll reserve judgement until I see it at 'short-arse' street level.
Think they should put a little child's railway around those 4 shitboxes, they look like hornby models from up here.
When the stadium was originally announced I searched for companies called Bill Nicholson and there are a few....not forgetting Nicholson on it's own too. It is possible. but I'll still call it the Lane, or the New Lane or just plain ol' beautiful White Hart Lane anyway, it's not as if we're going far is it?
Don't like the alleged listed buildings. I can live with them but don't quite get how a small minority have such power over retaining these in the new plans considering - as pointed out by Spooky and others - most of the buildings have sat there redundant for years.
Can't someone just torch the bordered up wrecks and then the problem is over?
Open invite to the ICF?
Can't they pick them apart brick by brick and rebuild them next door to the objectors?
They'll probably move in once they feast their eyes on the splenda....
Empty old building go up in flames all the time. Careless smack-head/squatter, kids playing with matches, wanton arson etc etc
Maybe we can get sponsored by British Nuclear or something so we can call it the BN Stadium
Always thought the original hotel and flats were hideous and something out of the sixties but this looks great. The fact the stadium has moved all of 100 yards means that whatever it's called im sure it'll still just be known as whl anyway...amongst the fans at least.
FANTASTIC LOOKING STADIUM, I STILL BELIEVE THE CAPACITY SHOULD BE REVISED TO AROUND 60-65 K. CAN THE STADIUM BE INCREASED IN THE FUTURE? WILL THE HUGE FAN BASE OVERFLOW AGAIN IN A YEAR OR SO OF IT BEING BUILT!
Haringey Council limited the stadium size to 56000 as they believe that is all the transport infrastructure could handle and weren't prepared to entertain the idea of extending the Victoria Line to the Northumberland Park tube depot.
New or old design looks good either way but please, let's grow some big trees in the open spaces and not make it look too industrial like downtown Middlesborough or Sunderland!
It's a disgrace! Valentino's is my favourite bar in London. The way they serve the beer ot just thr right degree of warmth can not be replicated by anyone. How dare they turn it into a coffee shop!
How about all the Spurs fans round the world donate 10 million pounds collectively to teh White Hart pub in Stoke Newington on the proviso that they sponsr the new ground?
I totally prefer the new designs. The hotel and apartments look a lot neater and not so much like Nelson Mandela House or something similar from the 70s.
I love the 'Wembley Way' raised bit, although I reckon it would be nice to have the Bill Nick statue in the middle of that.
One of the best things about the new design is getting rid of the appalling floor design (the bit on the previous design with the random weird patches of astro turf and the black floor with the garish white squares).
I absolutely love WHL, but this is gonna be sexy as hell!
Three things - firstly, thanks for being the first blog with a SANE, non-knee-jerk approach to the changes ...... they are to be supported and deal with problems, and keep the posh types onside. And also for showing what has been changed in detail; no one else has bovvered..
Secondly, I think that the four saved building will look AMAZING when they get the full-tarted-up appearance, and will really stand out and show a contrast between old and new - we call this history.
Thirdly, we are a very strong bunch, used to dealing with downers (!) If we want to go on calling OUR ground White Hart Lane, WHO is going to stop us (they can't make us sit down) ...... we can even sing WHL in a few songs and, as you know, we sing LOUD. So it might be written all over the place, the new name, it might be on TV all the time, but WE won't change!!! COYS!!!!
It's always going to be White Hart Lane. I was opposed to the ground being smashed down and re-built, when the idea was spoken about years and years back as a potential future development. But now, I'm okay with it, more so than ever with the plans and the progression of the project.
Ground looks like something old even if its brand spanking new.
WHL will never cease to exist in spirit. We're a proud bunch and we'll be even louder in our new home.
Am I right in thinking that the single tier bit is at the south? Looks like it to me.
I certainly hope so, because I'm looking forward to being part of one massive Park Lane, loud as hell.
COYS
Is the South Stand Kop still the plan? I'd heard that it was being shelved for boxes? Whatever happens, please make the stands as close to the pitch as possible. The atmosphere is destroyed if the fans are 10 yards away from the action.
You jest surely. The kop end is essential. But I know you're just jesting.
Love the new proposal. I hope this gets approved... if not there is clearly a Gooner or two on the committee!!!!
I must admit the area for the heritage buildings just looks so out of place...