Board Meeting online using Zoom
Wednesday 6th December 2023, 7:00pm
Minutes
PRESENT
Board: Stuart Rogers SR (chair), Mike Adams MA (minutes), Marie Day MD, James Nicholls JN, Terry Hamlin TH, Miles Hendy MH (vice-chair), Shahan Miah SM, D-M Withers DM
Supporters: Christine Chard CC, Paul Hunt PH, Neil Palmer NP, Wendy Rowland WR, Diane Rowland DR, Matt Seaward MS
Bristol City: Jerry Tocknell JT
Avon & Somerset Police: Dave Walker DW.
APOLOGIES: Jon Darch JD, Mark Newman MN, Jon Watts JW, Katrina Watts KW, Paul Binning PB
1. MINUTES & MATTERS ARISING
The November minutes were accepted as a correct record.
a) SC&T Bar – another table is missing and the pumps are often not working properly. [ACTION JT]
b) Robins HPC ticketing – this has not yet been followed up. [ACTION SM]
c) Hall of Fame – the complete list of members will be published with the latest batch highlighted. [ACTION SM]
d) Wheelchair availability – any chair supplied may be stored in the stadium. Chairs may be used for away matches as long as there is no other match in the stadium. Chairs may not be charged within the stadium due to H&S regulations. These matters will be clarified. [ACTION JT]
2. SLO & POLICE OVERVIEW
a) West Ham Utd – some West Ham ST holders may be moved due to BCFC allocation. Ticketing is expected to be 100% digital as 5,000 are expected. The normal initial 48 hours will be allotted for ST holders who have attended at least two away matches.
b) Southampton delays – many fans were disgusted by their treatment; there were issues with crowd control. DW advised that Cardiff supporters had similar issues when they attended St Mary’s recently.
3. MEETINGS WITH BCFC & BRISTOL SPORT
A summary was circulated pre-meeting (qv).
a) Club & Sporting Group Finances – a meeting with Tom Rawcliffe will be held with a view to subsequently publishing an official summary of ‘how the finances relating to BCFC work’ for supporters. Suggested that Simon Orriss should best attend as well as SR, SM and MH [ACTION SR]
4. MEETINGS WITH BCWFC
A summary was circulated pre-meeting (qv).
a) General Manager – confirmed in meeting that Eliot Caton has left the club due to difficulties travelling between Surrey & Bristol and being away from family. Gavin Marshall & Emma Jolliffe to be our main contacts going forward
b) Away Coaches – SC&T to book & arrange coaches with Turners for remaining WSL away games. Bristol Sport to sell seats on their website. We expressed support for exiled supporters of bigger clubs eg Arsenal to use our coaches as long as no BCWFC supporter is excluded as a result (such arrangements work for BCFC coaches, JT confirmed.
c) Liverpool Coach – Coach for Everton away rescheduled to Liverpool away due to lack of sales; most tickets were rolled over. Twenty tickets had been sold for the Liverpool coach at time of meeting.
5. AGM 2023
AGREED – to postpone our AGM to Saturday 20th January 2024 at 1.00pm. [ACTION MA, SR, JD, SM]
6. FANS FORUM
A summary was circulated pre-meeting (qv).
a) Unasked Questions – comments since that many questions went unasked.
AGREED – to request that questions be allowed by email and social media at future meetings. [ACTION SR]
b) Three things of note did arise – TH recalled: BCFC has 100+ years lease left on the stadium, Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s loan can be made permanent automatically, Jon Lansdown was more confident and expressed his family’s continuing interest in BCFC.
c) Accessibility – extremely poor up a narrow steep staircase
AGREED – to request all meeting venues be fully accessible; at Ashton Gate Stadium if necessary. [ACTION SR]
d) Away forum – North-West suggested, Preston ideal.
7. AOB
a) Club Crest – not on Ashton Gate Stadium yet prominent at Robins HPC. [ACTION SR at Heritage meeting]
b) Alan Dicks’ book launch – excellent event though with a few points – no questions allowed from the floor, 1975/76 promotion team members limited to standing up roles.
c) Top Productions event (Owers & Twentyman) – being held in Bishopsworth tomorrow; Brian Tinnion is involved.
Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 3rd January*
*subsequently cancelled due to AGM taking place in January