March 2017 AGM .

[Slogger]

Blocky makes some excellent points about out of town grounds. Getting to some of those places without a car is well nigh impossible. I vaguely recollect the Boreham/Springfield relocation plan. I think it involved a second Chelmsford station so with that in place it might have worked, along with good bus connections. Wasn't there talk of a 10,000 plus capacity ground with lights and we'd bid for ODIs?

A lot of retired members do come by public transport and I think the decline in long range bus services over the years has impacted on attendances, especially on Sundays. For example, my pal who lives near Halstead has to leave just after 17.30 to get the bus home on a championship day - his next service is at 20.45.

Engineering work on the railway doesn't help either.  I was talking to a couple of Essex members the other day at football (Dagenham) and they won't be coming to weekend cricket whilst the closures to the railway persist because of Crossrail construction.

[squarelegumpire]

Square..sorry old chap, only just seen your comments about attending yesterday, which I did and thoroughly enjoyed actually.  Sat myself on the benches at Backward Square leg, next to the hospitality boxes.  out of the wind, in the sun..couple of San Miguel's and a Wheater ton..lovely sunday!

I have every intention of attending on Friday and at least some of Saturday, so may well pop over and say hello if you're up there as usual.

Best wishes to the TPU!  Andy

It was good, wasn’t it. Good effort from young Beard, too. Since I’m no longer working of course, I shall be there today, but I plan to be there Saturday!

[squarelegumpire]

Blocky makes some excellent points about out of town grounds. Getting to some of those places without a car is well nigh impossible. I vaguely recollect the Boreham/Springfield relocation plan. I think it involved a second Chelmsford station so with that in place it might have worked, along with good bus connections. Wasn't there talk of a 10,000 plus capacity ground with lights and we'd bid for ODIs?

A lot of retired members do come by public transport and I think the decline in long range bus services over the years has impacted on attendances, especially on Sundays. For example, my pal who lives near Halstead has to leave just after 17.30 to get the bus home on a championship day - his next service is at 20.45.

Engineering work on the railway doesn't help either.  I was talking to a couple of Essex members the other day at football (Dagenham) and they won't be coming to weekend cricket whilst the closures to the railway persist because of Crossrail construction.

Similar situation in Coggeshall. Ten past 6 and that’s it, although it can be donewith changes. Sundays, bus every two hours.

[essexfan548]

Similar situation in Coggeshall. Ten past 6 and that’s it, although it can be donewith changes. Sundays, bus every two hours.

We have no buses on a Sunday at all - think yourself lucky.

[Blocky]

Blocky makes some excellent points about out of town grounds. Getting to some of those places without a car is well nigh impossible. I vaguely recollect the Boreham/Springfield relocation plan. I think it involved a second Chelmsford station so with that in place it might have worked, along with good bus connections. Wasn't there talk of a 10,000 plus capacity ground with lights and we'd bid for ODIs?

A lot of retired members do come by public transport and I think the decline in long range bus services over the years has impacted on attendances, especially on Sundays. For example, my pal who lives near Halstead has to leave just after 17.30 to get the bus home on a championship day - his next service is at 20.45.

Engineering work on the railway doesn't help either.  I was talking to a couple of Essex members the other day at football (Dagenham) and they won't be coming to weekend cricket whilst the closures to the railway persist because of Crossrail construction.

to be totally honest, The Train situation has destroyed my football season, and I cannot wait for Friday.  I doubt I'll bother going to Stratford for the rest of the season if the games are at weekend.  1 hour 35 minutes for a 20 minute journey is simply unacceptable.  Further compounding the appalling football we've been served up and the requirement for alcoholic anaesthetic becomes untenable when you have no toilet facilities for the 95 minute minimum return journey.
therefore I can totally understand the members travelling into Chelmsford from Met Essex not bothering.

[Slogger]

Blocky makes some excellent points about out of town grounds. Getting to some of those places without a car is well nigh impossible. I vaguely recollect the Boreham/Springfield relocation plan. I think it involved a second Chelmsford station so with that in place it might have worked, along with good bus connections. Wasn't there talk of a 10,000 plus capacity ground with lights and we'd bid for ODIs?

A lot of retired members do come by public transport and I think the decline in long range bus services over the years has impacted on attendances, especially on Sundays. For example, my pal who lives near Halstead has to leave just after 17.30 to get the bus home on a championship day - his next service is at 20.45.

Engineering work on the railway doesn't help either.  I was talking to a couple of Essex members the other day at football (Dagenham) and they won't be coming to weekend cricket whilst the closures to the railway persist because of Crossrail construction.

to be totally honest, The Train situation has destroyed my football season, and I cannot wait for Friday.  I doubt I'll bother going to Stratford for the rest of the season if the games are at weekend.  1 hour 35 minutes for a 20 minute journey is simply unacceptable.  Further compounding the appalling football we've been served up and the requirement for alcoholic anaesthetic becomes untenable when you have no toilet facilities for the 95 minute minimum return journey.
therefore I can totally understand the members travelling into Chelmsford from Met Essex not bothering.

At least there do seem to be trains on the Saturday of the Guildford fixture in June. Given fine weather I'm giving that a go. This train business is a total pain. Slogger Junior and I like doing a few long distance away days with Dagenham but replacement buses in Essex just make it impossible when trying to get to Kings Cross/Euston or Paddington. We did York when there were trains in November and nothing since. I imagine Stratford must be a nightmare when the lines from Liverpool St are closed. I know a few people who got to West Ham and Daggers who drive up to Dagenham East, park on the street near Dagenham football ground, and then take the tube in from there to Stratford.

[Blocky]

That is a proper schlep to get to though eh.  we were all revved up for a day at the Oval on the Friday, when somebody with half a brain noticed it's at Guildford.
 

[squarelegumpire]

Similar situation in Coggeshall. Ten past 6 and that’s it, although it can be donewith changes. Sundays, bus every two hours.

We have no buses on a Sunday at all - think yourself lucky.

I do; every sympathy.

[Andy]

Frankly, this interesting discussion seems to highlight just how out of touch those who run sport (and public services) are with their punters. Perhaps they look at India and Australia, whose IPL and BBL target a particular social group and assume that there's a similarly large, wealthy middle class that can afford to drive/take taxis?

[nat]

Frankly, this interesting discussion seems to highlight just how out of touch those who run sport (and public services) are with their punters. Perhaps they look at India and Australia, whose IPL and BBL target a particular social group and assume that there's a similarly large, wealthy middle class that can afford to drive/take taxis?

Ride the bus? Age over 30? You're a failure (Thatcher c. 1980).

[squarelegumpire]

Frankly, this interesting discussion seems to highlight just how out of touch those who run sport (and public services) are with their punters. Perhaps they look at India and Australia, whose IPL and BBL target a particular social group and assume that there's a similarly large, wealthy middle class that can afford to drive/take taxis?

I can afford to drive; I just don't want to! Not environmentally friendly, and besides if I drive I can't have a drink!

[Andy]

Frankly, this interesting discussion seems to highlight just how out of touch those who run sport (and public services) are with their punters. Perhaps they look at India and Australia, whose IPL and BBL target a particular social group and assume that there's a similarly large, wealthy middle class that can afford to drive/take taxis?

I can afford to drive; I just don't want to! Not environmentally friendly, and besides if I drive I can't have a drink!

Not making any accusations - the point was that the decisions being made seem to overlook people like you good self...

[Slogger]

Andy's point reminds me of a crass comment made by Mike Selvey on TMS some years ago. They were discussing test match start times and how in countries near the equator it's quite an early start to fit the hours before dusk. "Why not start at 9.30 in England too", he said. "Everyone can then go off and do other things in the evening."

Clearly the comment of someone who never had had to pay for transport to get to a big match in his life, I thought.

Can you imagine trying to get to Lords on peak trains in the back end of the rush hour and paying top dollar for the privilege? As it is my mate from Ipswich, who does a day's test match cricket every year, gets an off peak rail ticket in the knowledge he won't get in for the 11am start because of the disparity in rail fare costs.

[Andy]

Selvey's not with the Gruniad now?

I certainly think the media has suffered by having too many ex-players.  Some may well be intelligent writers (well have half a brain) but the prevalence of non-ex-pro's in previous decades meant that there wasn't the obvious problem of so many writers who've never sat down and watched much county cricket, because they've either been playing, centrally contracted or following Team England for a satellite broadcaster. 

I blame Nasser. The rot set in when he spat the dummy and went to S*Y, although some might say that fast-tracking the likes of Agnew wasn't good either.

[nat]

Selvey's not with the Gruniad now?

I certainly think the media has suffered by having too many ex-players.  Some may well be intelligent writers (well have half a brain) but the prevalence of non-ex-pro's in previous decades meant that there wasn't the obvious problem of so many writers who've never sat down and watched much county cricket, because they've either been playing, centrally contracted or following Team England for a satellite broadcaster. 

I blame Nasser. The rot set in when he spat the dummy and went to S*Y, although some might say that fast-tracking the likes of Agnew wasn't good either.

Indeed I can sympathise with Phil Defreitas who had a falling out with Agnew. He's got a face you want to slap.