QPR travel to Blackpool tomorrow looking to arrest and alarming slump in form. Here are the usual tips on travel, tickets and watering holes for those planning on making the trip.

Ground Name: Bloomfield Road
Capacity: 9 731 (all seated)
Address: Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JJ
Main Telephone No: 0870 443 1953
Fax No: 01253 405 011

By Car:
A long old haul from Loftus Road, 238 miles, but reasonably straight forward. Use the M1 and the M6 to head north, leaving the M6 at junction 32 onto the M55 which, if you follow it to the outskirts of the town and then onwards towards the shore, you should see Bloomfield Road appear on the right. If you do get lost the ground is right in between the Pleasure Beach and Blackpool Tower that dominate the skyline so head for either of those and you won’t be more than a quarter of a mile away.

Map:
Click map to visit Multi Map site and zoom in/out or tour round.

Parking:
Loads of street parking and pay and display car parks around the ground and as this is a cold Tuesday night out of season spaces should be in plentiful supply.

By Train
West Coast mainline out of Euston, changing at Preston for this one. The cheapest return ticket at this stage of the game is £70.70 with trains leaving Euston every hour on the half hour, and arriving via Preston at 20 past the hour two hours and 50 minutes later. So leave Euston 8.30, into Preston at 1038 and out at 1055, into Blackpool at 1120.

Going back the 1737 should be doable even if you have to walk it but you have to change at Preston and Crewe to arrive at 2117 failing that it’s the 1829 with one change at Preston arriving 2136. Incidentally a new website pointed out to me by DerbyHoop, www.splityourticket.co.uk, is a useful one to check when going on an awayday from now on – pointing out the loopholes in the ticketing systems that LoftforWords has always tried to point out where possible.

A taxi is probably the best bet from the station to the ground but it is just about walkable, 20 minutes or so. We go straight out of the station and walk down to the sea front, turn left at the sea and follow your nose up the tram lines until the ground is seen on the left past the tower.

Pubs:
There is a large working men’s club by the entrance to the away end which admits fans from both teams and usually has a friendly atmosphere, likewise the one we went in two minutes from the ground on the Lytham Road. Fans of Wetherspoons can try The Auctioneer on Lytham Road near the South Station about ten minutes from the ground, on that same road is the Old Bridge House which is recommended by CAMRA. Blackpool town centre isn’t a million miles away either, those arriving by train have the Walkabout and other options around Blackpool North – basically lots and lots of options here and little trouble anywhere.

Tickets:
Rangers fans making the journey north will once again find themselves housed in the ‘Gene Kelly Stand’ – when it starts to rain, you’ll get it. That’s slightly more galling than last year because as we will see on arrival there is now a brand new, shiny stand behind the goal which I would hope and pray we will be in next time, assuming Blackpool aren’t a Premiership side next season. However whereas last season we were charged £27 for a Tuesday night fixture there, this year it’s “just” £24.50 for adults, £19.50 for seniors, £16.50 for 16 to 18 year olds and £14.50 for under 16s. Disabled tickets are £24.50 for a pair. Tickets have now been returned to Blackpool for sale on the day although as I suspect many people have done the same as me and avoided paying in advance for fear of a postponement, be prepared for a queue at the cash gate. Or not. Eight loyalty points for this one. The official coach leaves at 8am, £31 for adults, £20 for seniors and teens, £18 for juniors.

Links:

Official Blackpool Website
Detailed fans' guide to Bloomfield Road

Photo: Action Images

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