New Everton Stadium - Hill Dickinson Stadium

[Aries]

I’ve spoken about the positives of the new ground. It’s an incredible experience and for all of the talk about the exterior being spectacular but the interior being “generic and disappointing”, I can honestly say hand on heart I was just as blown away by the inside as I was the outside! I have to book three days holiday to make a weekend of it and I’ve no holiday left to book this year but I’m already scanning the fixture list to return from January onwards.

But, there’s always a but isn’t there! Goodison kept popping in to my head numerous times throughout the day. My usual routine is straight out of Goodison and back in to the Winslow to ATTEMPT to buy another pint in a pub packed to the rafters.

I got an uber to the Winslow, and my heart sank. It was like a ghost town, Goodison Road somehow seemed darker and poorly lit, and when I entered, there were TWO people in there. To see it go from being a hive of activity, singing, chanting, and not being able to move an inch or get to the toilet, to seeing it practically empty was heartbreaking. I’m not ashamed to admit I shed a tear but that may have been because of all the free beer I crammed in at HD! That probably didn’t help.

I had a slow walk around the ground as well, and again you could have heard a pin drop. All the legends over the years removed from the sides of the ground, replaced by pink and purple wrap for the Women’s game. Spare a thought not just for the Winslow, but the others such as the Royal Oak, The Brick etc, who have suddenly lost their vital match day income which they probably relied heavily on.

 

[Connor]

Was the Reform ale house opened across the road yesterday?

Yeah, his warehouse thing was. Can't speak for the car park tent but idiotic if it was, was absolutely tipping it down at points

 

[jinkyali]

We are in block 207.

Its been absolutely fine for a pint before the game and OK at half time.

Again before the game it's easy for a slash and half time comparable to Goodison.

Hate the lack of parking though.

 

[Connor mcloud]

View attachment 325507


Looks like the pricing has changed, the £6 donut is now £2.50. Fight the power, people. (sorry; edit this is goodison ffs)

Apparently that same blue doughnut is on sale at the womens game at Goodison for £2.50, i hope there not left overs from our game, ooower

 

[arch stanton]

Is this in the away end?

that isnt from a seat, it will be taken from a walkway.

 

[Rehnman]

Oh for normal every day humans with a camera in front of them. Refreshing to see. Big fan of Grandad’s narration.

Loved the Grandad. He put on those layers with the speed and stealth of the SAS heading on a mission, in this case tooled up with a bag of Werther’s.

 

[davek]

Yeah, his warehouse thing was. Can't speak for the car park tent but idiotic if it was, was absolutely tipping it down at points

 

[Blue Neon]

Have had this too. Just walking another 2 minutes is going to save you a queue at the toilets/bar.

Think a lot of folks are still in the Goodison mindset/way of doing things where it didn't make much sense to walk too far from your seat/block (because it was a nightmare getting back, esepcially in the Lower Gwladys) but sooner that starts happening, better people will find it

View attachment 325507


Looks like the pricing has changed, the £6 donut is now £2.50. Fight the power, people. (sorry; edit this is goodison ffs)

Can get FIVE biggish Jam Doughnuts at Tesco for £1.30p made fresh twice a day. Me and young lad take them on the train and up to the ground with 2 bottles of Coke.

 

[davek]

 

[No Alla Violenza]

Did anyone get a receipt when using the Aramark walk-through kiosk? I've queried the overcharge with them and they're asking to see a receipt!
Wtf, you just scan your payment card, it opens the gate, grab something then walk out, I didn't see anywhere for a receipt to come out?

I never got a receipt either mate, they’ve had me off as well. Did you contact Aramark directly? I’ve emailed our Fan Services and I’m just waiting for a reply

 

[Connor mcloud]

Can get FIVE biggish Jam Doughnuts at Tesco for £1.30p made fresh twice a day. Me and young lad take them on the train and up to the ground with 2 bottles of Coke.

Life in the fast lane, can't beat it

 

[Simo]

There were videos explaining how it works a few weeks ago, they demonstrated how to get a receipt involving a “switch/button” on the wall where you exit.

Just googled it, then watched the one with baz in. Does mention about some qr code after you've exited. But all that is too much faff for me. That said Aramark have responded, provided me a link to get my receipt, and no surprise I've been charged Korean chicken. I'm hoping they are now checking back on the vids to get this corrected.
Granted it is only a few quid more (once the pre-auth should be taken off), but first impressions n all that. I won't be returning. Don't need this hassle, got enough already, just want to go a match, maybe have something to eat.
CASH IS KING

 

[Smurph]

Yeah but are you not just stuck on a bus for an hour going back to the strand?

On Saturday there was about 5 939s queued up waiting for fans and the bus journey back took about 10 mins.

The bus journey on the way is a different story, that was about 45 mins, though only about 20 mins v Brighton.

I’ll stick with it because leaving the ground has been great with this route.

 

[windymiller]

For me, I’ve always resented having to chug my pint before getting out to my seat.

Concourses are crap places for having a drink - and I hate having to rush it.

Like you say, though, there are clearly those for whom it’s a way of life and I wouldn’t question anyone’s preferences in that regard.

I actually much prefer the vibe at the new ground, with the great big space around the ground to get and enjoy a drink before the game.

I say this without having yet attended a match there in the cold and rain, of course.

100% agree with the bolded bit. It's about time that they got rid of the stupid rule about not drinking in the stands, it doesn't do a thing to make the games safer, it just encourages people to get leathered before kick off. You can have a beer in the stands in the Bundesliga and there's not loads of fighting, it's stupid law put in place to placate Daily Mail reading dullards who have no interest in attending a match.

 

[windymiller]

They put extra kiosks on but selling (warm) cans only. The e-bar is pretty good with short queues but you can’t use the voucher on these. Fixing this would help but they seem incapable of doing so. The only draft beer on the main bar was lager and they were selling cans of Boddingtons (440mls but at the same price as a pint - probably a breach of their license…..). Delivery and attitude from Aramark is pretty appalling.

Boddingtons?! Blimey, I haven't seen a Boddingtons in any format (draft or can) in donkeys. Didn't realise you could still get it.