By Dragons' Den
October 3 2012
Dragons' Den, thanks to contributions from London Welsh supporters, brings you an unofficial guide to The Kassam Stadium. Tickets, travel, parking, food and (most importantly) drink are all covered.
THE STADIUM
The Kassam Stadium Grenoble Road Oxford OX4 4XP
Good overhead cover on the stands (south stand in particular has large canopy) South stand holds 4600, North 5000, East 2800. Large TV screen is set up where a West Stand would be. Good views from all seats.
The North stand will probably only be for sale as demand dictates, whilst the East stand almost certainly won't be.
TICKETS
We advise that you should book tickets in advance to guarantee the seats you want and to avoid the possibility of queues.
Buying online
Yopu can now buy all tickets online, including conssesions, and the online process is easy, quick and allows you to select your seat. The tickets get posted through quickly too. Currently there's a £1.50 'booking fee' plus a 'web sales fee' of 50p per ticket. And if you're buying for a group it seems the software currently limits you to buying a maximum of 6 tickets. If you leave it too late for them to be posted then you pick the tickets up on the day (go to the South Stand reception to collect pre-booked tickets).
All consessions can be selected at the point of checkout but armed forces, emergency services, NHS and student tickets must be collected on the day when status id must be shown.
Disabled tickets cannot be booked online and must be booked over the phone on 01865 717661
Please note that there is a £5 discount on all tickets if purchased in advance.
Buy on the day
Although the ticket system at the stadium is much improved DO NOT leave it untill 15 mins before the game to start queuing up for a ticket... especially if its raining as you may get wet... also please note, the club have now instigated a no access to the bar without a match ticket in order to try and prevent a last minute ticket rush.
Click here for ticket prices and to book online
PARKING
Yellow lines on the road outside the stadium (a couple of areas where parking is allowed but these fill up quickly). It is patrolled, don't end up with a parking ticket. The stadium is part of a leisure complex with cinema/bowling alley/eateries so plenty of parking and it's free, BUT there is only one entrance in/out and this is the problem at the final whistle. Everyone is escaping at the same time and with fans crossing the road and holding up traffic it's every driver for himself and a bit chaotic. Expect delays getting out or alternatively go for a bite to eat, or back to the bar for a drink and wait for it to clear.
UPDATE: Although parking arrangements have greatly improved during the season, the more popular games can still create very long delays at the car park and in the surrounding roads before and after the match. Please ensure that you allow plenty of time!
The stadium/leisure complex is immediately off Grenoble Road, which is PARTLY regulated by double yellow lines on both sides, but there are a number of VERY long parking bays on this road. Use this area and avoid the car park and the after match chaos... Do not try parking in the housing estate nearby as the residents will not like you, and a permit system operates on match days there really is no need as the carpark and Grenoble Rd has plenty of capacity.
The Grenoble Road bays right by the stadium get filled up quickly (now that the regulars realise there's a problem with leaving the car park after the match), but if you are able to walk 300-400m the on street bays east of the stadium entrance have plenty of capacity
There are some bays to the west of the stadium entrance too on the westbound carriageway.
There is plenty of parking for away supporters buses behind the North stand.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
If coming from the station then take the number 5 or if from town then either the number 1 or 5, they both stop at the same place on St Aldates. Ask for the last stop on Pegasus Road and then turn left and it's hard to miss the stadium from there. About £3.20 for a return ticket. It's a 30min bus trip.
A taxi from the station to the ground will be about £14 each way and will take 5 people.
The official LW travel directions can be viewed here
If driving it is always advisable to try and approach from the East along Grenoble Roadas there is always less congestion that way
DRINKS & FOOD (click here for map)
Despite the demise of the Priory, there is now however some great news with regards to matchdays at the Kassam.
Following on from two succesful semi final legs at home last season, the Fanzone is set to continue, it will involve a bigger and better Real Ale bar, along with several food outlets as well as general entertainment for both adults and kids including the popular bungey run and bouncy castle as well as face painting and of course the skillzone, where the kids can hone their skills with the help of London Welsh's first team players and coaches.
The favourite venues pre-match away from the Kassam seem to be
The Royal Blenheim is a great city centre pub which is less than a 10 minute walk from the rail station, usually has 7 or more well kept real ales on at a time and a rugby friendly Welsh landlord, also does some pretty decent pub grub.
There are of course plenty of other city centre pubs and restaurants for those coming from the station.
About 10 mins on foot but easier to access from the station/city centre bus route is Littlemore Rugby Club, they have invited us to use their clubhouse bar on matchdays and may put on a BBQ if numbers prove to make it worthwhile. Their clubhouse is contained within the grounds of The Oxford Academy school and is accessed via Northfield Close.
A little further away about 10+mins by car is The Kings Arms a river side pub which does a full menu all day.
Those coming by car on the Northbound M40 can leave the motorway at junction 7 and use The Coach and Horses in Chislehampton which is a nice country pub with a good restaurant, although along that same route the favourite of the regular travellers on the Supporters Club bus has become The Lamb at Little Milton, which has gone out of it's way to accomodate us pre-match
There is also of course the stadium's Atrium Bar or the concourse bars for those of you who take their seats early.
The stadium are quite happy for you to take your own drink into the match but do not allow glass or cans, so take plastic glasses to drink from, they will tolerate discrete filling of plastic glasses from cans.
Also note the club recieves NO revenue from the stadium bars.
Also on site...
Cinema/Bowlng complex on site with food outlets inside, which include a Frankie and Bennys, a chinese buffet and the Aziz Express which is an excellent indian restaurant , offering both a buffet and a la carte menu. The bowling alley also does the usual bowling fare, burgers, hot dogs, pizzas etc. You can also get a drink here too.
To the East of the stadium is a Holiday Inn which opens it's bar to non-residents
Post-match Food (click here for map)
If you fancy a curry after the match then don't go all the way into town, but get off along the Cowley Road (on the bus route) there are several excellent Indian and Nepalese restaurants along here and only a couple of average ones in town.
As well as several pubs, all of which are on the station bus route and marked on the map whose link isabove.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION
Parking
91 accessible parking spaces are available on a first-come basis. They are located around the stadium close to each set of turnstiles. Drop-off facilities are available.
Tickets
Disabled seating is not available online. To purchase seats in these areas call the Ticket Office on 01865 717661 This also means you can specify an area in which you’d like to be situated and confirm you require a parking space.
Spectator Viewing areas
There are over 100 spaces for wheelchair users available and these can be found at the pitchside and on raised platforms accessible by lift to the second (VIP) and third floors. The third floor is not suitable if you have sight difficulties, it’s rather high up and far away from the pitch. Disabled supporters with ambulant disabilities have access to over 200 amenity/easy access seats. The main lift in the south stand can get rather busy so don’t leave it until last minute if you're going upstairs.
Accessible amenities
There are accessible toilets inside the stadium, all of which (I think) require a RADAR key. However, the stewards usually can open them for those who haven’t managed to get a key. I cannot recall if there are lower-level serving counters in any of the bars.
Accessible services & information
Facilities for assistance dogs are available. The concourses do not have rest areas included. The stewards/staff are generally very helpful and will try to help you out.
Other locations for food and drink (click here for map)
About 200m from the main entrance (you would have to wind through the car park) is a Cinema/Bowling complex with food outlets inside - this is a modern build so is therefore wheelchair accessible.
(Some of above accessibility info taken from Level Playing Field)
Click here for link to Google map showing the bus routes & stops, parking and recommended places to eat and drink and other places mentioned in this guide
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO THE KASSAM STADIUM!
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Quote:X~Pat
Very professional.I retire!
..........now who's doing the ODP guide for OxfordWelsh and crosschannel visitors
Quote:OxfordwelshQuote:X~Pat
Very professional.I retire!
..........now who's doing the ODP guide for OxfordWelsh and crosschannel visitors
How big can London be - surely I just get off at Paddington, turn slightly to the right and keep walking.......?
Quote:dottigirl
May be worth adding some disabled access info?
Some on the Kassam here:
[www.levelplayingfield.org.uk]