Letters&Opinion

AFTER two weekends where, internationally, Bristol was shown in the best possible light, we get “Moaning Minnie” D Scadding lamenting the fact that his precious Ashton Gate was only available on a Sunday for a City game - surely not the first time this has happened?

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His main beef has for years been that Ashton Gate Stadium is shared, for both football and the sport that he so despises, rugby.

He doesn’t care that rugby contributes fully to the upkeep of the stadium he so selfishly wants for his own, and doesn’t even consider the tens of thousands of rugbygoers whose contribution helps in keeping his own team viable.

Since Bristol Rugby, latterly Bears, moved from the Mem, we've seen Ashton Gate blossom into a tremendous venue. Myself and other supporters marvelled as twothirds of the stadium was levelled and replaced with topnotch facilities, without missing a game, on time and on budget.

The Lansdowns (and the team behind Bristol Sport) never get the credit they deserve for investing in the city and, apart from the great Harry Dolman, I can’t think of anyone else who has done so much.

It'll be interesting to see how big a boost Women’s World Rugby has been to the local economy, but I bet it’s been significant, and I just hope Metro West crack on with building Ashton Gate train station which is so sorely needed - the parking, in my opinion, is the only downside of Aston Gate...

Mark Steeds

Bristol

Worse is yet to come