Updates on:
THST Fan Survey 2018: Results
Catering feedback group: Your help needed
Manchester United away – 27 August
Fulham at Wembley credits
Premium seat offering at the new stadium
Premium priority for away tickets
Business Community Liaison Group meeting – 17 July
Transport and Cashless update – 18 July
Safety at the new stadium
Test events at the new stadium
DCMS Select Committee on sale of Wembley Stadium – 18 July
National work
Football Supporters’ Federation/ Supporters Direct AGM’s – 28 July
THST Fan Survey 2018: Results
Catering feedback group: Your help needed
Manchester United away – 27 August
Fulham at Wembley credits
Premium seat offering at the new stadium
Premium priority for away tickets
Business Community Liaison Group meeting – 17 July
Transport and Cashless update – 18 July
Safety at the new stadium
Test events at the new stadium
DCMS Select Committee on sale of Wembley Stadium – 18 July
National work
Football Supporters’ Federation/ Supporters Direct AGM’s – 28 July
Other:
1. THST FAN SURVEY 2018
Results from our 2018 Fans Survey have been released this morning and can be read here. We’re emailing the findings to our members today as well as following up with those fans who asked for more information on the Trust. As ever, there’s some interesting findings and the results are a good barometer of fan-feeling on some important topics, so thank you again to the 3,500 of you who took the time to share your thoughts with us.
2. CATERING FEEDBACK GROUP: YOUR HELP NEEDED
Avid readers of THST News will have noted the call in last month’s newsletter for volunteers to form a group of regular supporters feeding back on catering in the new stadium via a short, online, monthly survey. Thank you to those who’ve stuck their hands up already.
We need as many fans as possible to commit to taking part to make this a success so, if you are someone who generally likes to eat or drink in the stadium and you would be willing to give feedback in this way, please email Rachel.Martin@THSTOfficial.com. Let us know where you’ll be sitting if you have a season ticket. If you’re a One Hotspur member, that’s fine too! We’re hoping to have a network of fans from all general admission areas throughout the stadium in order to share as accurate and representative data as possible with THFC and Levy Restaurants.
We look forward to hearing from you.
3. MANCHESTER UNITED AWAY – 27 AUGUST
As reported last month, the scheduling of our match away at Old Trafford on Bank Holiday Monday leaves a lot to be desired, especially with Euston station being closed that weekend on top of the usual Monday night challenges.
The lack of joined-up thinking between the Premier League and the Rail Delivery Group in terms of line closures, engineering works and fixture scheduling is a source of great irritation for THST, considering the number of meetings we have participated in where closer communications have been advocated. We flagged our dissatisfaction with Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, the Shadow Sports Minister, and the most recent host of a Premier League/ Rail company/ Fan meeting at which such commitments were made, and seemingly ignored. Dr Allin-Khan took the matter up with the Premier League and the Rail Delivery Group and we can now update on these discussions.
The RDG had flagged the closure of Euston with the Premier League across August Bank Holiday weekend, however the Metropolitan Police were keen for as many London teams to be scheduled outside London across that weekend as possible owing to an inability to police both the Notting Hill Carnival and high profile football matches at the same time due to a lack of resource.
Even if that was the case, Spurs fans could have been sent to any number of away venues not necessitating the use of Euston station when it is closed. And especially not when that is further exacerbated by the scheduling of the match on a Monday evening before a return to work on the Tuesday morning.
We’ll stay in touch with Dr Allin-Khan’s office should there be further cases of disregard for travelling supporters.
We once again thank the Club for offering subsidised coach travel to Old Trafford to help minimise the impact of travel disruption on match-going fans.
4. FULHAM AT WEMBLEY CREDITS
Last month, the Club confirmed that it was going to be necessary to play our first home league game of the season at Wembley. A credit note of 1/19th of the cost of a season ticket was offered to each season ticket holder as compensation, to be used either to purchase a ticket for the Fulham game at Wembley or to be put towards a future home cup tie.
At the time, THST lobbied for a straight refund, which was the cleaner option. The Club proceeded with the credit note instead. Considering the numerous issues with the credit notes throughout the Fulham sales period, we believe our stance was correct.
Credit notes did not show online, only at checkout, which confused many fans. The outstanding balance of any credit notes does not show online, either, meaning fans are unsure how much or how little credit they have left for future purchases.
Season Ticket holders who chose not to purchase their regular seat at Wembley but to purchase an alternative one then discovered no credit note had been applied to their accounts, resulting in payment having to be made in full and refunds applied separately. We understand this was down to a coding error whereby the credit had been applied to the seat and not to the account.
Ticketmaster’s inability to deliver a clear user experience does nothing to boost our confidence in the service they provide, and which has been a constant source of irritation for many supporters.
And while we acknowledge the Club was not obliged to provide a credit once the venue of this game was confirmed, the idea that fans should simply have paid again to get into a game they had already paid for does not stand up to serious examination.
If you have experienced difficulties accessing your credit for the Fulham match, please do let us know on info@THSTOfficial.com and we’ll fast track with the Ticket Office.
5. PREMIUM SEAT OFFERING AT THE NEW STADIUM
We contacted the Club raising a number of concerns following the appearance of this link advertising premium packages for home games. Of particular concern was the sales pitch referring to a reserved section in the home area for “fans both home and away” to “enjoy an electric atmosphere” because of the location’s proximity to the away fans’ section.
The Club confirmed the offer was from an official partner, Eventmaster. In its initial response the Club said the offer was no different to the offer made for similar packages at the old stadium and Wembley, using this link as an example. We pointed out that there was no explicit mention of away fans in that link, and asked if the local Safety Advisory Group was aware of the issues that could arise from this offer, particularly at London derbies.
We also asked when Season Ticket holders who had purchased tickets in that section of the ground had been told they were likely to be seated with away fans.
The Club said the SAG was satisfied with measures in place to manage the crowd safely, and that fans buying those tickets would be explicitly reminded they were in home sections and that they should behave accordingly. We pointed out that the wording of Eventmaster’s offer was not in line with that advice. The Club therefore agreed to make it clear to Eventmaster that its advertising should not explicitly target visiting fans, and that the Club must also approve any future advertising copy. That would seem to be sensible practice, and we were rather surprised it wasn’t already the case.
We also asked how many of these tickets there were, and reminded the Club that we had asked for a full breakdown of how many seats at each price point there were in the new stadium numerous times over the summer. We were told that these figures were “not available” as the seating inventory was still being confirmed and the process of selecting seats for match-day sales was continuing.
We find it hard to believe the Club does not know how many tickets it is selling and at what price. As the Club has expressed the view that we have selectively quoted figures when criticising the pricing policy, we are anxious to get the complete picture so everyone can be clear.
We have asked when the final figures will be available.
On the subject of ticketing, we continue to push for a dedicated meeting to discuss the large number of outstanding issues, including Champions League pricing and group stage packages, domestic cup pricing policy for next season, match day League pricing, mechanics of and plans for the Ticket Exchange and Ticket Share for this coming season, Fulham credits and online experience, One Hotspur membership refunds, amongst others.
We are yet to receive date options for this meeting from the Club.
6. PREMIUM PRIORITY FOR AWAY TICKETS
We continue to receive anecdotal feedback about purchasers of premium tickets being offered priority for away tickets. Each time we’ve raised this with the Club, we’ve been told that it’s a mistake by over-zealous sales staff. But despite reassurances that sales staff will be briefed not to give the impression that purchase of a corporate seat at the new stadium will in any way guarantee tickets to away games, we keep receiving reports that this continues to happen.
If premium seats in our fantastic new stadium need a sweetener thrown in to make them more attractive to purchase, there’s clearly something very wrong somewhere.
Coming on top of the continued conversation with the Club, reported in last month's newsletter, about the effect of increasing the corporate offer from 9% of c3,000 tickets to 14% of c3,000 tickets – and the Club’s inability to understand that means there will be fewer tickets available for fans without premium tickets – we remain extremely concerned about how the Club is going to be allocating away tickets.
The ticketing meeting we are urgently calling for will be the place to address this. In the meantime, we’d be interested to hear from any other fans who have been offered away priority in return for buying a premium seat.
7. BUSINESS COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP MEETING – 17 JULY 2018
Pete Haine attended on behalf of THST.
Mace update:
The week of the meeting saw a record 3,600 people working on site, with an average on the night shift of 500 – 600 workers. Stadium operational staff are now commencing staff orientation and training.
• The majority of the roof is complete and when (finally) it rains the water will drain off into tanks in the stadium basement;
• 40,000 seats have been installed;
• The NFL Astroturf surface has been installed and is covered with a protective layer. The pitch trays are currently being rolled out and filled with sand, ready for the top layer of grass;
• The external cladding is nearly complete and will be finished once the hard landscaping works around the periphery of the stadium are complete.
LAMP Update:
The Club presented the latest draft of the Blue Book, which provides local residents with all the information about the stadium and the impact of event days.
It was discussed at length, with comments/observations being noted for inclusion in the final version which is planned to go to print at the end of the week and then copies will be distributed to 50,000 local residents and businesses, along with being published on the club website.
Local residents living within the match-day Traffic Management Zone (TMZ) would be able to cater for visitors, who would either have to arrive before road closures come into force, or be issued with visitor permits in advance by the resident.
Fans attending the stadium will also need to reconsider their travel plans, and information to help them in planning their match-day journey will be posted on the Club website soon. We will be doing as much as we can to provide clear information for fans as we bed in to the new stadium.
Test Events:
The Club provided a brief update on the planned Test Events, informing the meeting that they have been in regular dialogue with key transport stakeholders to ensure that the dates are best suited for all concerned.
The Club confirmed to the BCLG that dates and ticketing procedures would be communicated as soon as they are available (See item later in this newsletter).
TH Foundation:
• The Club and Foundation currently work in partnership with over 150 employers;
• Total Jobs created to date for Haringey residents: 1,437;
• Total Apprenticeships/Traineeships created to date for Haringey residents: 337;
• Total Job Opportunities Created via THF Partnerships to date for Haringey residents: 3,879;
• Total Opportunities Created overall for Haringey residents: 5,653.
8. TRANSPORT AND CASHLESS PAYMENTS MEETING – 18 JULY
THST Co-chairs Martin Cloake and Katrina Law met with various members of THFC staff responsible for fan relationship management, transport communications and community relations on the evening of 18 July for a presentation on transport plans for the new stadium and cashless payment options in the new ground.
The technology being used in the stadium is cutting edge, with many world firsts. It will be a completely cashless destination with well thought-through fall backs in place for those without bank cards. We are encouraged by what we have seen so far.
Fans will be encouraged to explore new routes to the stadium considering the introduction of an extended CPZ pushing into Enfield and bus diversion routes both before and after the match. The option of Park and Ride shuttle services and new wayfinding signage from the four major transport hubs (White Hart Lane, Northumberland Park, Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters) should help a number of fans re-route their journeys to the New Lane. There will also be secure “hoop” and “toast rack” cycle parking available and a new national coach service will be announced shortly.
The Club will be embarking on a series of thorough communication pieces in the run up to the Liverpool match, so we’ll leave them to explain the detail. However we do urge fans to read the information provided carefully as there will be some changes to the old White Hart Lane routine as we bed into our new 62,000 seater home. The bedding in process is sure to be a challenge and we will be doing all we can to help inform fans, as well as to feedback constructively to the Club.
It will be especially crucial to read the information in advance given the early kick off against Liverpool.
9. SAFETY AT THE NEW STADIUM
Our return home means we have asked to resume our place on the Haringey Safety Advisory Group, the body responsible for planning and safety of match-day events. We built a very productive relationship over the last few years at the old stadium and are keen for that to continue. Brent Council have a very different approach, not deeming it necessary to involve the major stakeholding group, supporters, in planning for match days, and so we were not involved during our time at Wembley.
THFC also has a new Stadium Safety Officer, Eileen Williams, and we have asked to meet her as soon as is practical. We’ve also asked if THST Board members can shadow the match-day team at the new stadium as soon as we are bedded in. This follows a similar exercise at the old stadium that proved very useful for all sides.
10. TEST EVENTS AT THE NEW STADIUM
The Club has announced details of two test events at the new stadium. They take place on 27 August and 1 September. We’d advise you to read the linked news story carefully, and to keep an eye on the Club website for details of how to apply for tickets. We’ll tweet a link to the information as soon as we get it.
We’ve already received some feedback questioning the timing of the event on the 27th as it is the same day as our away fixture against Manchester United. The reality is there is very little time in which to schedule the events and so some clash was almost inevitable, especially when local transport disruption across the Saturday and Sunday of August Bank Holiday weekend left only the Monday for this event. While the 3,000 supporters travelling to Manchester won’t be able to go, many more fans will get the chance – and those travelling to Manchester will obviously have secured Season Tickets for the new ground.
We would also like to emphasise the money raised from selling tickets to these events will be going to charities nominated by the Club.
11. DCMS SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE SALE OF WEMBLEY STADIUM
Co-chair Kat Law was asked by the Football Supporters’ Federation to represent fans at a Parliamentary Select Committee on the proposed sale of Wembley Stadium. Having been a fan rep on the FA Council for the last year, Kat had knowledge of the FA’s thinking as well as the ability to ensure the fan perspective was considered. Footage of the hearing can be found in the Media Log at the end of this newsletter.
12. NATIONAL WORK
After a year as one of just two fan reps on the FA Council, our co-chair Kat Law decided not to stand for reappointment at the end of her one-year term this July. She’s made some valuable contacts over past 12 months and done much to advance the case for fans being properly consulted at all levels of the game. Her term of office was for one year, with the new term lasting for another three years. Given the amount of time the role has taken up, and the workload it generated on top of co-chairing the Trust and holding down a full-time job, Kat felt she was unable to make the commitment for another three years.
While Kat being able to focus on her work with THST is good news for us, it’s shame that the commitments to the national role make it so difficult for grassroots supporters to play a part. The FA’s stated commitment to diversity needs to take this into account
In the meantime, we’re sure Kat will continue to play a role when she can.
13. FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS’ FEDERATION/ SUPPORTERS DIRECT AGMS – 28 July
Members of Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters’ Federation voted to form a new, single fan organisation at the AGM’s of both bodies in July. Co-chairs Kat Law and Martin Cloake and sectetary Pete Haine attended on behalf of THST. THST voted in favour of the merger.
The decision came after both organisations had consulted their members over the last year.
Two main factors drove the decision. One was the increasing amount of overlap between the work of the two organisations - with the link between improving the way the game and its clubs are governed (traditionally SD territory) and issues affecting ordinary matchgoing fans such as ticket pricing, safe standing and stewarding and policing (traditionally FSF territory) becoming ever clearer. Having a single fan voice able to address issues holistically is a significant step forward.
Changes to the way both organisations are funded were also a factor. There was a serious risk SD would have had to reduce the amount of work it did on football had it continued as an independent organisation. Other sources of funding proved difficult to access because of the view that there is already a lot of money in football.
SD’s Board recommended remaining as a separate body despite not specifying how the funding shortfall that would reduce its football work would be addressed. Its CEO backed the formation of a new, single organisation. The FSF National Council and its CEO backed the new single organisation.
Work now begins on implementing the decision. THST will continue to play an active part in forming a national fan organisation that can be an effective advocate for supporters across the game.
OTHER:
Register your interest to obtain more information and be at the head of the queue when registration starts:
For any of Wingate and Finchley’s home matches, adults presenting a proof of membership of THST at the gates will gain entry for half price. That’s just £6. And any juniors under the age of 16 will be allowed in for FREE. For Senior Concessions (over 65) and Students (proof required for both), the charge is a modest £3.
More information can be found here.
We’d like to clarify that this is not an exclusive arrangement with Wingate and Finchley, and should we be approached by other local teams with a similar offer, we’d be very happy to explore similar partnerships.
Wingate and Finchley are at home to AFC Hornchurch on the evening of 14 August; and at home to local rivals Enfield Town at 3pm on Monday 27th August. That’s a fixture we’re sure will be of interest to many Spurs fans following both sides, and one that will finish in time to enable those not travelling to Manchester to watch Spurs in action on TV that evening. Those not lucky enough to attend the test event at the New White Hart Lane that afternoon could do a lot worse than go to this game!
Early-bird season tickets for travel to 19 Premier League games are now available from £169.99 each. In conjunction with Zeelo, we are offering a 10% discount on those travel season tickets to full members who quote the code THST10. We are also offering 10% off individual tickets for all games to full members quoting the code THST10 . Please quote those numbers when you buy your tickets on the Zeelo site.
THST takes no financial benefit from this offer – it’s simply a perk we’ve negotiated for our members.
THST Media Log: July 2018
18 July
The Club’s iSpurs information portal has been rebranded as Ask Spurs. The portal answers many of the questions we are frequently contacted with. We’d urge fans to read and familiarise themselves with the details available on the portal as we continue to receive a high volume of questions asking for this information.
THST Board
31 July 2018
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- Update on the ‘Cycle On You Spurs’ jerseys for Prostate Cancer UK
- Football to Amsterdam 2019
- Wingate and Finchley upcoming matches
- Zeelo coach travel for the new season
1. THST FAN SURVEY 2018
Results from our 2018 Fans Survey have been released this morning and can be read here. We’re emailing the findings to our members today as well as following up with those fans who asked for more information on the Trust. As ever, there’s some interesting findings and the results are a good barometer of fan-feeling on some important topics, so thank you again to the 3,500 of you who took the time to share your thoughts with us.
2. CATERING FEEDBACK GROUP: YOUR HELP NEEDED
Avid readers of THST News will have noted the call in last month’s newsletter for volunteers to form a group of regular supporters feeding back on catering in the new stadium via a short, online, monthly survey. Thank you to those who’ve stuck their hands up already.
We need as many fans as possible to commit to taking part to make this a success so, if you are someone who generally likes to eat or drink in the stadium and you would be willing to give feedback in this way, please email Rachel.Martin@THSTOfficial.com. Let us know where you’ll be sitting if you have a season ticket. If you’re a One Hotspur member, that’s fine too! We’re hoping to have a network of fans from all general admission areas throughout the stadium in order to share as accurate and representative data as possible with THFC and Levy Restaurants.
We look forward to hearing from you.
3. MANCHESTER UNITED AWAY – 27 AUGUST
As reported last month, the scheduling of our match away at Old Trafford on Bank Holiday Monday leaves a lot to be desired, especially with Euston station being closed that weekend on top of the usual Monday night challenges.
The lack of joined-up thinking between the Premier League and the Rail Delivery Group in terms of line closures, engineering works and fixture scheduling is a source of great irritation for THST, considering the number of meetings we have participated in where closer communications have been advocated. We flagged our dissatisfaction with Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, the Shadow Sports Minister, and the most recent host of a Premier League/ Rail company/ Fan meeting at which such commitments were made, and seemingly ignored. Dr Allin-Khan took the matter up with the Premier League and the Rail Delivery Group and we can now update on these discussions.
The RDG had flagged the closure of Euston with the Premier League across August Bank Holiday weekend, however the Metropolitan Police were keen for as many London teams to be scheduled outside London across that weekend as possible owing to an inability to police both the Notting Hill Carnival and high profile football matches at the same time due to a lack of resource.
Even if that was the case, Spurs fans could have been sent to any number of away venues not necessitating the use of Euston station when it is closed. And especially not when that is further exacerbated by the scheduling of the match on a Monday evening before a return to work on the Tuesday morning.
We’ll stay in touch with Dr Allin-Khan’s office should there be further cases of disregard for travelling supporters.
We once again thank the Club for offering subsidised coach travel to Old Trafford to help minimise the impact of travel disruption on match-going fans.
4. FULHAM AT WEMBLEY CREDITS
Last month, the Club confirmed that it was going to be necessary to play our first home league game of the season at Wembley. A credit note of 1/19th of the cost of a season ticket was offered to each season ticket holder as compensation, to be used either to purchase a ticket for the Fulham game at Wembley or to be put towards a future home cup tie.
At the time, THST lobbied for a straight refund, which was the cleaner option. The Club proceeded with the credit note instead. Considering the numerous issues with the credit notes throughout the Fulham sales period, we believe our stance was correct.
Credit notes did not show online, only at checkout, which confused many fans. The outstanding balance of any credit notes does not show online, either, meaning fans are unsure how much or how little credit they have left for future purchases.
Season Ticket holders who chose not to purchase their regular seat at Wembley but to purchase an alternative one then discovered no credit note had been applied to their accounts, resulting in payment having to be made in full and refunds applied separately. We understand this was down to a coding error whereby the credit had been applied to the seat and not to the account.
Ticketmaster’s inability to deliver a clear user experience does nothing to boost our confidence in the service they provide, and which has been a constant source of irritation for many supporters.
And while we acknowledge the Club was not obliged to provide a credit once the venue of this game was confirmed, the idea that fans should simply have paid again to get into a game they had already paid for does not stand up to serious examination.
If you have experienced difficulties accessing your credit for the Fulham match, please do let us know on info@THSTOfficial.com and we’ll fast track with the Ticket Office.
5. PREMIUM SEAT OFFERING AT THE NEW STADIUM
We contacted the Club raising a number of concerns following the appearance of this link advertising premium packages for home games. Of particular concern was the sales pitch referring to a reserved section in the home area for “fans both home and away” to “enjoy an electric atmosphere” because of the location’s proximity to the away fans’ section.
The Club confirmed the offer was from an official partner, Eventmaster. In its initial response the Club said the offer was no different to the offer made for similar packages at the old stadium and Wembley, using this link as an example. We pointed out that there was no explicit mention of away fans in that link, and asked if the local Safety Advisory Group was aware of the issues that could arise from this offer, particularly at London derbies.
We also asked when Season Ticket holders who had purchased tickets in that section of the ground had been told they were likely to be seated with away fans.
The Club said the SAG was satisfied with measures in place to manage the crowd safely, and that fans buying those tickets would be explicitly reminded they were in home sections and that they should behave accordingly. We pointed out that the wording of Eventmaster’s offer was not in line with that advice. The Club therefore agreed to make it clear to Eventmaster that its advertising should not explicitly target visiting fans, and that the Club must also approve any future advertising copy. That would seem to be sensible practice, and we were rather surprised it wasn’t already the case.
We also asked how many of these tickets there were, and reminded the Club that we had asked for a full breakdown of how many seats at each price point there were in the new stadium numerous times over the summer. We were told that these figures were “not available” as the seating inventory was still being confirmed and the process of selecting seats for match-day sales was continuing.
We find it hard to believe the Club does not know how many tickets it is selling and at what price. As the Club has expressed the view that we have selectively quoted figures when criticising the pricing policy, we are anxious to get the complete picture so everyone can be clear.
We have asked when the final figures will be available.
On the subject of ticketing, we continue to push for a dedicated meeting to discuss the large number of outstanding issues, including Champions League pricing and group stage packages, domestic cup pricing policy for next season, match day League pricing, mechanics of and plans for the Ticket Exchange and Ticket Share for this coming season, Fulham credits and online experience, One Hotspur membership refunds, amongst others.
We are yet to receive date options for this meeting from the Club.
6. PREMIUM PRIORITY FOR AWAY TICKETS
We continue to receive anecdotal feedback about purchasers of premium tickets being offered priority for away tickets. Each time we’ve raised this with the Club, we’ve been told that it’s a mistake by over-zealous sales staff. But despite reassurances that sales staff will be briefed not to give the impression that purchase of a corporate seat at the new stadium will in any way guarantee tickets to away games, we keep receiving reports that this continues to happen.
If premium seats in our fantastic new stadium need a sweetener thrown in to make them more attractive to purchase, there’s clearly something very wrong somewhere.
Coming on top of the continued conversation with the Club, reported in last month's newsletter, about the effect of increasing the corporate offer from 9% of c3,000 tickets to 14% of c3,000 tickets – and the Club’s inability to understand that means there will be fewer tickets available for fans without premium tickets – we remain extremely concerned about how the Club is going to be allocating away tickets.
The ticketing meeting we are urgently calling for will be the place to address this. In the meantime, we’d be interested to hear from any other fans who have been offered away priority in return for buying a premium seat.
7. BUSINESS COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP MEETING – 17 JULY 2018
Pete Haine attended on behalf of THST.
Mace update:
The week of the meeting saw a record 3,600 people working on site, with an average on the night shift of 500 – 600 workers. Stadium operational staff are now commencing staff orientation and training.
• The majority of the roof is complete and when (finally) it rains the water will drain off into tanks in the stadium basement;
• 40,000 seats have been installed;
• The NFL Astroturf surface has been installed and is covered with a protective layer. The pitch trays are currently being rolled out and filled with sand, ready for the top layer of grass;
• The external cladding is nearly complete and will be finished once the hard landscaping works around the periphery of the stadium are complete.
LAMP Update:
The Club presented the latest draft of the Blue Book, which provides local residents with all the information about the stadium and the impact of event days.
It was discussed at length, with comments/observations being noted for inclusion in the final version which is planned to go to print at the end of the week and then copies will be distributed to 50,000 local residents and businesses, along with being published on the club website.
Local residents living within the match-day Traffic Management Zone (TMZ) would be able to cater for visitors, who would either have to arrive before road closures come into force, or be issued with visitor permits in advance by the resident.
Fans attending the stadium will also need to reconsider their travel plans, and information to help them in planning their match-day journey will be posted on the Club website soon. We will be doing as much as we can to provide clear information for fans as we bed in to the new stadium.
Test Events:
The Club provided a brief update on the planned Test Events, informing the meeting that they have been in regular dialogue with key transport stakeholders to ensure that the dates are best suited for all concerned.
The Club confirmed to the BCLG that dates and ticketing procedures would be communicated as soon as they are available (See item later in this newsletter).
TH Foundation:
• The Club and Foundation currently work in partnership with over 150 employers;
• Total Jobs created to date for Haringey residents: 1,437;
• Total Apprenticeships/Traineeships created to date for Haringey residents: 337;
• Total Job Opportunities Created via THF Partnerships to date for Haringey residents: 3,879;
• Total Opportunities Created overall for Haringey residents: 5,653.
8. TRANSPORT AND CASHLESS PAYMENTS MEETING – 18 JULY
THST Co-chairs Martin Cloake and Katrina Law met with various members of THFC staff responsible for fan relationship management, transport communications and community relations on the evening of 18 July for a presentation on transport plans for the new stadium and cashless payment options in the new ground.
The technology being used in the stadium is cutting edge, with many world firsts. It will be a completely cashless destination with well thought-through fall backs in place for those without bank cards. We are encouraged by what we have seen so far.
Fans will be encouraged to explore new routes to the stadium considering the introduction of an extended CPZ pushing into Enfield and bus diversion routes both before and after the match. The option of Park and Ride shuttle services and new wayfinding signage from the four major transport hubs (White Hart Lane, Northumberland Park, Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters) should help a number of fans re-route their journeys to the New Lane. There will also be secure “hoop” and “toast rack” cycle parking available and a new national coach service will be announced shortly.
The Club will be embarking on a series of thorough communication pieces in the run up to the Liverpool match, so we’ll leave them to explain the detail. However we do urge fans to read the information provided carefully as there will be some changes to the old White Hart Lane routine as we bed into our new 62,000 seater home. The bedding in process is sure to be a challenge and we will be doing all we can to help inform fans, as well as to feedback constructively to the Club.
It will be especially crucial to read the information in advance given the early kick off against Liverpool.
9. SAFETY AT THE NEW STADIUM
Our return home means we have asked to resume our place on the Haringey Safety Advisory Group, the body responsible for planning and safety of match-day events. We built a very productive relationship over the last few years at the old stadium and are keen for that to continue. Brent Council have a very different approach, not deeming it necessary to involve the major stakeholding group, supporters, in planning for match days, and so we were not involved during our time at Wembley.
THFC also has a new Stadium Safety Officer, Eileen Williams, and we have asked to meet her as soon as is practical. We’ve also asked if THST Board members can shadow the match-day team at the new stadium as soon as we are bedded in. This follows a similar exercise at the old stadium that proved very useful for all sides.
10. TEST EVENTS AT THE NEW STADIUM
The Club has announced details of two test events at the new stadium. They take place on 27 August and 1 September. We’d advise you to read the linked news story carefully, and to keep an eye on the Club website for details of how to apply for tickets. We’ll tweet a link to the information as soon as we get it.
We’ve already received some feedback questioning the timing of the event on the 27th as it is the same day as our away fixture against Manchester United. The reality is there is very little time in which to schedule the events and so some clash was almost inevitable, especially when local transport disruption across the Saturday and Sunday of August Bank Holiday weekend left only the Monday for this event. While the 3,000 supporters travelling to Manchester won’t be able to go, many more fans will get the chance – and those travelling to Manchester will obviously have secured Season Tickets for the new ground.
We would also like to emphasise the money raised from selling tickets to these events will be going to charities nominated by the Club.
11. DCMS SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE SALE OF WEMBLEY STADIUM
Co-chair Kat Law was asked by the Football Supporters’ Federation to represent fans at a Parliamentary Select Committee on the proposed sale of Wembley Stadium. Having been a fan rep on the FA Council for the last year, Kat had knowledge of the FA’s thinking as well as the ability to ensure the fan perspective was considered. Footage of the hearing can be found in the Media Log at the end of this newsletter.
12. NATIONAL WORK
After a year as one of just two fan reps on the FA Council, our co-chair Kat Law decided not to stand for reappointment at the end of her one-year term this July. She’s made some valuable contacts over past 12 months and done much to advance the case for fans being properly consulted at all levels of the game. Her term of office was for one year, with the new term lasting for another three years. Given the amount of time the role has taken up, and the workload it generated on top of co-chairing the Trust and holding down a full-time job, Kat felt she was unable to make the commitment for another three years.
While Kat being able to focus on her work with THST is good news for us, it’s shame that the commitments to the national role make it so difficult for grassroots supporters to play a part. The FA’s stated commitment to diversity needs to take this into account
In the meantime, we’re sure Kat will continue to play a role when she can.
13. FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS’ FEDERATION/ SUPPORTERS DIRECT AGMS – 28 July
Members of Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters’ Federation voted to form a new, single fan organisation at the AGM’s of both bodies in July. Co-chairs Kat Law and Martin Cloake and sectetary Pete Haine attended on behalf of THST. THST voted in favour of the merger.
The decision came after both organisations had consulted their members over the last year.
Two main factors drove the decision. One was the increasing amount of overlap between the work of the two organisations - with the link between improving the way the game and its clubs are governed (traditionally SD territory) and issues affecting ordinary matchgoing fans such as ticket pricing, safe standing and stewarding and policing (traditionally FSF territory) becoming ever clearer. Having a single fan voice able to address issues holistically is a significant step forward.
Changes to the way both organisations are funded were also a factor. There was a serious risk SD would have had to reduce the amount of work it did on football had it continued as an independent organisation. Other sources of funding proved difficult to access because of the view that there is already a lot of money in football.
SD’s Board recommended remaining as a separate body despite not specifying how the funding shortfall that would reduce its football work would be addressed. Its CEO backed the formation of a new, single organisation. The FSF National Council and its CEO backed the new single organisation.
Work now begins on implementing the decision. THST will continue to play an active part in forming a national fan organisation that can be an effective advocate for supporters across the game.
OTHER:
- UPDATE ON THE ‘CYCLE ON YOU SPURS’ JERSEYS FOR PROSTATE CANCER
- FOOTBALL TO AMSTERDAM 2019
Register your interest to obtain more information and be at the head of the queue when registration starts:
- WINGATE AND FINCHLEY FC PARTNERSHIP
For any of Wingate and Finchley’s home matches, adults presenting a proof of membership of THST at the gates will gain entry for half price. That’s just £6. And any juniors under the age of 16 will be allowed in for FREE. For Senior Concessions (over 65) and Students (proof required for both), the charge is a modest £3.
More information can be found here.
We’d like to clarify that this is not an exclusive arrangement with Wingate and Finchley, and should we be approached by other local teams with a similar offer, we’d be very happy to explore similar partnerships.
Wingate and Finchley are at home to AFC Hornchurch on the evening of 14 August; and at home to local rivals Enfield Town at 3pm on Monday 27th August. That’s a fixture we’re sure will be of interest to many Spurs fans following both sides, and one that will finish in time to enable those not travelling to Manchester to watch Spurs in action on TV that evening. Those not lucky enough to attend the test event at the New White Hart Lane that afternoon could do a lot worse than go to this game!
- ZEELO COACH TRAVEL FOR THE NEW SEASON
Early-bird season tickets for travel to 19 Premier League games are now available from £169.99 each. In conjunction with Zeelo, we are offering a 10% discount on those travel season tickets to full members who quote the code THST10. We are also offering 10% off individual tickets for all games to full members quoting the code THST10 . Please quote those numbers when you buy your tickets on the Zeelo site.
THST takes no financial benefit from this offer – it’s simply a perk we’ve negotiated for our members.
THST Media Log: July 2018
18 July
- Kat Law at the DCMS Select Committee Enquiry on the sale of Wembley Stadium – footage from Parliamentary TV
- Kat Law on Radio London talking about the sale of Wembley and the new Spurs stadium
- BBC Sport: Wembley Stadium sale plan ridiculous says Gary Neville
The Club’s iSpurs information portal has been rebranded as Ask Spurs. The portal answers many of the questions we are frequently contacted with. We’d urge fans to read and familiarise themselves with the details available on the portal as we continue to receive a high volume of questions asking for this information.
THST Board
31 July 2018
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