A Rough Guide To Wembley Friday, 20th Apr 2018 16:00 Our third trip to the stadium in a little over a year, but for those that want a bit of help and also the official pub splits read on. The Stadium The old stadium was an icon with it's twin towers, so that meant the new one had to have something as stunning and that has been achieved through the arch that can be seen from many miles around. The ground opened in March 2007 with the second public game there being the FA Vase final between AFC Totton and Truro with the Cornish team unfortunately being victorious. The stadium is totally enclosed and comprises three tiers, with both sides of the stadium being slightly larger than the ends. These sides are semi circular in construction but unlike the old Wembley are fairly close to the pitch so it has a feeling of being a football ground, something which the old stadium certainly didnt have. The stands have large upper and lower tiers, with a smaller middle tier sandwiched in-between. This middle tier overhangs the lower tier and has a row of executive boxes at the back of it. At each end there is a large video screen, which is moulded into the third and hence is an integral part of the stadium although this does take out part of the upper tier seating behind each goal. The stadium has a complicated looking roof, that initially appears retractable and could if necessary be used to enclose the stadium from the outside elements. However, just over one third can be moved, so that the pitch will always be open to the elements. We of course took part in the first ever Cup Final to be played "indoors" when due to heavy rain in Cardiff in 2003 the roof at the stadium was closed. Entering The Stadium Getting into the ground is easy and when in inside there are spacious concourses, however if you are on level 5 the upper tier it is a bit of climb, however there are esculators to help you on your way. The Concourses The concourses at Wembley unlike most football grounds are big spacious and bright, meaning that there is plenty of room to move around and sometimes entertainment beyond the usual TV screens is provided. There are many toilets and refreshment kiosks and because of the space available there are also guest kiosks as well as the permanent ones. These pop up kiosks serve everything from Krispy Kreme Donuts to guest real ales. Apparently there are is one till for every 100 spectators in the stadium meaning that getting served is usually quick and easy. It is not cheap though and Wembley has always had a reputation for being expensive for food and drink, however it is not that much different to the prices charged at London Premier League grounds. Expect to pay around £4.50 -£5 for a beer in the stadium depending on the outlet and the size of the drink. Most of the outlets also take card payments. Around The Stadium As most will know from our previous article the pubs around the stadium have been allocated to each set of supporters, in general all of our allocated pubs are around the Harrow Road/Wembley High Road area which is behind the West End of the stadium in which we are situated. The exception is Moore Spice which is next to the official coach park. Southampton Moore Spice, Wembley Retail Park, Unit 2, Engineers Way, HA9 0EH So that you can avoid them, the Chelsea pub allocation is Chelsea The Torch, 1 - 5 Bridge Road, Wembley, HA9 9AB, Please note these are the official pub allocations and segregation will be vigorously enforced. Those wanting to drink near the ground would be better served if they are arriving by tube to go to Wembley Central rather than Wembley Park tube station. Saints have been allocated the "Events Pad" as their fan zone, the same as for the League Cup final last year, an area which will apparently serve alcohol, this is located in front of the London Designer Outlet shopping Mall, which is located at our end of the ground to the left as you look at the stadium. Chelsea's fan zone is on Arena Square which is in front of Wembley Arena. Also next to the stadium is the London Designer Outlet, a shopping mall which also has restaurants for those who perhaps want to get a meal, these will be rammed though. Most supporters though tend to drink a few tube stops up the line and then come into Wembley late. Around the stadium there are plenty of fast food outlets on both Harrow Road/Wembley High Road and near Wembley Park as well as a few supermarkets etc, most of these offer much better and cheaper options of eating in the stadium itself. Getting There The stadium has been labelled as a 'public transport' destination, meaning that there is limited parking available at the stadium itself and there is also a residents only parking scheme in operation in the local area. The pricing and availability of stadium parking varies per event. More information and bookings can be made on the official Wembley Stadium Parking website. The stadium is well signposted and the stadium is just off the A406 North Circular Road. The easiest route for those driving is to take the M3 and then the M25 North/West bound (signposted Heathrow). At junction 16 take the M40 towards London and then follow on the A40, from there the stadium will be signposted. Shorter although possibly not quicker would be to take the M4 towards London and then follow signs to the North Circular again the stadium is well signposted. Parking There is little official parking at the stadium and local parking places have restrictions to prevent stadium users parking there, but many businesses and sports clubs etc do offer parking although it is at a price, expect to pay around £20. Many who go to the stadium regularly for England matches park a few stops up the line north bound to the M25 on either rail or tube and park there and get the train in. By Train/Tube From Waterloo there are two direct tube options to Wembley, the Jubilee line is perhaps the most direct, however this goes to Wembley Park which although the nearest tube station to the ground, is not convenient for the allocated Saints pubs, so I would suggest only using this route if you intend going straight to the stadium. The Bakerloo line takes a little longer but does go to Wembley Central which is about a 15 minute walk to the ground, but does have all the Saints allocated pubs on route. 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