Memorial Stadium (Bristol)

Memorial Stadium
The Mem
Uplands Centenary Stand at the Memorial Stadium
Former names	Memorial Ground
Location	Filton Avenue, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 0AQ
Opened	24 September 1921
Owner	The Memorial Stadium Company
Surface	Grass
Capacity	12,100 (12,011[1] after segregation) {2,500 seated}
Field dimensions	101 x 68 metres
Tenants
Bristol Rugby 1921- Bristol Rovers 1996-

Bristol Rovers v Manchester United at the Memorial Stadium, 1999

The Memorial Stadium, also commonly known by its previous name of The Memorial Ground, is a sports ground in Bristol, England, dedicated to the memory of the rugby union players of the city killed during World War I. It is currently the home ground of Bristol Rovers FC and Bristol Rugby Club.

History

The stadium was built on an area of land called Buffalo Bill's Field that was previously occupied by allotments and was opened on 24 September 1921 by G B Britton, the Lord Mayor of Bristol, as a home for Bristol Rugby Club.

Situated on Filton Avenue in Horfield, Bristol, it has developed significantly over the years. A massive crowd turned out to watch the first ever game to be held there against Cardiff, but did so from wooden terraces and stands.

The Ground has remained a focal point for the wider Bristol community, and a minute's silence is held annually at the closest game to Remembrance Sunday, while on 11 November a service of remembrance is held at the Memorial Gates.

With the advent of leagues in the late 1980s, Bristol looked to develop the Ground, replacing the old Shed on the north side with the Centenary Stand to mark the club's 100th anniversary in 1988.

The West Stand, an original feature of the ground, was demolished in 1995 having been condemned, and replaced.

In 1996, Bristol Rovers moved in as tenants of Bristol Rugby Club, and soon took joint ownership through the Memorial Stadium Company.

The stadium is also used for the rugby varsity between the city's two universities, University of the West of England and University of Bristol.

The rugby club was relegated from the Premiership in 1998, causing severe financial difficulties, and they lost control of the Memorial Stadium Company to Bristol Rovers. The rugby club has since been tenants in their original home.

By 2005, the Memorial Stadium was hosting Bristol Rugby Club back in the Guinness Premiership, with Bristol Rovers competing in the Football League. A roof has been added to the Clubhouse Terrace and a temporary stand at the east of the ground has brought capacity up to 11,916 (11,750 for football due to terracing that cannot be used due to segregation of home and away fans).

Stadium redevelopment

The Memorial Stadium Company proposed a wide ranging £35 million refurbishment of the Memorial Stadium, bringing it up to an 18,500 all-seater capacity.^[2] On 17 January 2007, Bristol City Council granted permission for the stadium redevelopment.^[3]

The new stadium will include:^[4][5]

• A 97-room hotel
• 99 student flats
• A restaurant
• A convenience store
• Offices
• A Public Gym

On 17 August 2007, it was announced that the stadium's redevelopment had been delayed and would commence in May 2008 and finish in December 2009. During this time period of reconstruction, Bristol Rovers will ground share with Cheltenham Town Football Club.^[6] The Section 106 legal agreement, which was the main cause for the delay in the redevelopment, was finally signed on 4 January 2008,^[7] but more delays were encountered when on 30 May 2008 Rovers admitted that their preferred student accommodation providers had pulled out of the project, leaving the club to find an alternative company.^[8] This caused the redevelopment to be put back another year, to 2009.^[9] More delays, mostly attributed to the ongoing financial crisis, mean that as of 2011, the stadium redevelopment has yet to begin.

In June 2011, Bristol Rovers announced its intentions to relocate the club to the newly proposed UWE Stadium instead of redeveloping the Memorial Stadium. In order to fund the new stadium, the Mem is to be sold to supermarket chain Sainsbury's^[10].

References

Coordinates: 51°29′10″N 2°35′01″W / 51.4862°N 2.5836°W / 51.4862; -2.5836

Memorial Stadium (Bristol)

1. ^ http://www.footballgroundguide.com/bristol_rovers/
2. ^ Club submits revised stadium plan BBC News. Retrieved 23 October 2006
3. ^ Memorial stadium given go-ahead BBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2007
4. ^ Bristol City Council planning consultation: Memorial Stadium, Filton Avenue Bristol City Council. Retrieved 25 April 2007
5. ^ "Stadium Amendments Given The OK". Bristol Rovers FC. 2008-04-02. http://www.bristolrovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/StadiumRegeneration/0,,10328~1280427,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-30. 
6. ^ Football and rugby stay in city BBC News. Retrieved 1 October 2007
7. ^ Signed, Sealed, Delivered bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2008
8. ^ "Memorial Stadium plans hit hurdle". BBC News. 2008-05-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7428390.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-01. 
9. ^ "Stadium regeneration delayed". bristolrovers.co.uk. 2008-06-03. http://www.bristolrovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10328~1322831,00.html. Retrieved 2008-06-03. 
10. ^ "ROVERS ANNOUNCE NEW STADIUM PLANS". bristolrovers.co.uk. 9 June 2011. http://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/page/StadiumRegeneration/0,,10328~2373698,00.html. Retrieved 2011-06-09. 

External links

• The Memorial Ground, Bristol, 1921-2008 Photographic record of the Memorial Ground put together by supporters prior to its proposed demolition and rebuild in 2008
• This is Bristol Bristol Evening Post
• Bristol Football Club (RFU), Dave Fox and Mark Hoskins, 2 vols., Tempus Publishing
• Bristol Rovers: The Definitive History 1883–2003, Stephen Byrne and Mike Jay, Tempus Publishing