Sports district

[Royalshow]

After visiting Nottingham for the first time yesterday i was particularly impressed with the facilities in the vicinity of the ground.We had arranged to meet a friend who used to reside in Ding but moved up to Nottingham a couple of years ago before the game .On the way to the bar we must have passed a number of bars and pubs all bussing with life until we arrived at our meeting place,a small bar about a 5 minute walk from the away end facing the main stand at Trent bridge.This was not partially big and we ended up drinking in a front garden sized area of concrete boarding the street.

...and so the point to all this.Having three large sports venues in such close proximity has resulted in a distinctive area of the city with a great choice of pubs,bars and shops that all cater for match-days. Many of these would not be able to exist with only one venue near by, but the combination of a football match day pretty much every week( either forest or county)and you add in all the business from the cricket crowds for many days over the summer it seems business is good.

With both Reading and LI playing at the Madejski,along with the greyhound racing and speedway close by,what's stopping Reading having it's own 'Sports district' down in south Reading.The new speedway development planned to replace the existing venue may have a casino as well but i doubt this will be very friendly on match days.The expansion of kennet Island,the proposed Greenpark Station and village,along with Reading Southside should mean a great demand for such services.Surely if the club put more effect in presenting Madejski stadium as more of a destination it would produce a wide range of benefits.

Thoughts?

[Whistle]

Most new stadia desperately need something like this because they are in isolated, desert locations.

I'd hope RFC would support this but they may take the view they would rather have 95% revenue of a small pie than 75% of a bigger pie. We need more places like the Jazz Cafe that are between corporate and concourse/fast food standard.

[Southbank Old Boy]

With the number of pubs going to the wall in the area I can't see any new ventures becoming anything that attractive to non-locals

[ScottishRoyal]

I was a student in Nottingham for five years and actually worked in the Casa bar on the Nottingham side of the bridge in my final year. Although the area is great at the weekend for sportys fixtures the pubs are also frequented by locals. Many people walk by the rive and often pop in for a drink or something to eat. The Southbank bar (where you were) also has good live music and the TBI is a good local.

What these pubs all have that Smallmead / Whitley doesn't is:-
A large student population and relatively (for Nottingham) prosperous local neighbourhood to keep them going.
The River Trent - Good for passing trade and venue for a few large regattas each year.
Two football teams meaning the pubs are full EVERY weekend.
The cricket crowds in the summer.

With these advantages the pub I worked at was still forced to close last year, so in answer to your question, no, this wouldn't work in Reading, sorry!