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Blues on Tour Match Travel COVENTRY CITY - Saturday 29th December 2018

DoDTS

The PL League Boss⭐⭐
Joined
Apr 28, 2006
Messages
10,841
Location
PL Headquarters Hullbridge
COVENTRY CITY – SATURDAY 29th DECEMBER 2018
RICOH AREANA
Capacity: 32,609 (all seated)
Address: Phoenix Way, Coventry, CV6 6GE
Telephone: 024 7699 1987


Details for Southend United visit to Coventry can be found on the following:

Post 2; - Coventry By Road/Parking

Post 3, - Coventry Where to Drink

Post 4 - Coventry By Train

Post 5 - Coventry By Coach

Post 6 –- Coventry Ticket information

Post 7 - What’s the Ground like/Reviews

ALL THESE DETAILS OFFERED IN GOOD FAITH PLEASE CHECK CAREFULLY BEFORE BOOKING
IF YOU CAN FIND CHEAPER FARES PLEASE LET US KNOW.


This is your Forum please feel free to post anything relevant to this trip
 
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Coventry By Road/Parking

The following is from the footballgroundguide site;

https://www.footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/league-one/ricoh-arena-coventry-city.html#adirections-and-car-parking

Leave the M6 at Junction 3. Take the A444 towards the city centre and after one mile you will reach the Ricoh Arena on your left.

Ricoh Arena Official Car Parks

Parking at the stadium is mostly for permit holders, although the Club do sell on the day spaces in Car Parks A, B and C at £10 per car, although it is best to book a space in advance. Blue badge holders can also park at the stadium itself but again at a cost of £10. The Club are also utilising a number of car parks within walking distance of the stadium, in such places as factory units and local schools. The cost of these official car parks varies on the venue but is around £3-£5 per vehicle. See the Ricoh Arena Parking website for more details.

Other Parking Options

The nearby Tesco/Arena Retail car park is well 'policed' on matchdays. Free parking is restricted to just two hours only unless you spend £50 or more in one of the shops on the Retail Park, otherwise if you overstay you can end up with a £100 parking ticket. Stores include Next, Boots and Marks & Spencers, but the minimum £50 spend does not include the Tesco Petrol Station, Burger King or Pizza Hut. You show your receipt on exit. In addition an extensive 'residents only' parking scheme has been put in place for all residential streets within a least a mile of the ground.

There is also a private car park run by Leisure Ireland, located a few minutes drive away from Junction 3 of the M6. It has 200 spaces and is then a 15 minute walk away from the stadium. It advertises as secure parking and apparently getting back to the motorway after the match is very easy. The cost to park there is £3 per car and to find the car park, follow the 'pink arrow' signs/take the B4113 towards Bedworth from Junction 3 of the M6. Fans are encouraged to pre-book their places online. However please note to then get to the stadium you have to cross a rather busy dual carriageway, so please bear this in mind if you have young children or older person in your party. Please note that this car park closes one hour after the final whistle. Closer to the stadium in Oban Road (opposite the Longford Engine CV6 6HH) are two private car parks run by Ricoh Arena Event parking. Spaces can also be pre-booked online and cost £4 per car. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Ricoh Arena via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Post Code for SAT NAV: CV6 6GL
 
Coventry Where to Drink

The following is from the footballgroundguide site;

https://www.footballgroundguide.com...-arena-coventry-city.html#apubs-for-away-fans

On one corner of the stadium, is the Grosvenor Casino. This has bars inside and also shows televised sport. Both home and away fans are admitted on matchdays. Craig Woollaston adds; "Please note that the Grosvenor Casino has a strict over 18's policy, so is not suitable for families. In fact, anyone who looks under 25 should make sure they have photo ID. Inside the casino, there are two bars, plus a number of pop-up bars depending on the anticipated attendance. The atmosphere is always relaxed. For families then there is an alternative; the Hilton Double Tree Hotel, which is also located at the stadium has as a bar inside called 'The Mill.' It has lots of screens showing the televised match and away fans welcome. However, being a hotel bar it is a bit pricey". If you like your ale then around a five minute walk away from the visitors turnstiles on the Hales Industrial Estate, is the recently opened Dhillons Brewery. Located in an industrial unit, it offers pre-match a number of real ales and bottled craft beers. To find the brewery then with the Jimmy Hill Statue behind you head up to the small roundabout in front (not the roundabout on the main dual carriageway) turn left and then take the first right onto Rowley's Green Lane. Proceed along the Lane and just before the road ends and has a row of bollards across it, turn right into the Hales Industrial Estate. The Dhillons Brewery is more or less the last unit, tucked away down on the left.

Robert Nunn a visiting Reading fan informs me; 'Myself and a friend parked in Longford, about a ten minute walk away from the stadium, and found a host of pubs situated along Longford Road. Whilst most looked quite partisan and only had Sky Blue shirts in, the "JK English Pub" was most welcoming. This Indian/Pub had a pub feel (pool table, jukebox, etc) but was also an Indian restaurant. On Saturday's it also does a £5 all you can eat lunchtime buffet'. To find this pub, coming away from the North Stand at the Ricoh, follow the towpath over the canal for about 400 yards passing the Tesco Extra on your right (which also has a cafe). When you come on to Longford Road, head right, towards Coventry City Centre and the pub is around 200 yards on your right hand side. Phil Cull a visiting Watford fan adds; 'You can also park your car in the JK English pub car park for a cost of £4. It is then around a 15 minute walk to the stadium. After the game there was no problem in driving back to the M6'. Also on Longford Road, but heading away from the City Centre are the Longford Engine and Coach & Horses pubs which both welcome away fans. The visitors turnstiles are around a 15 minute walk away, by walking along the canal tow path by the Longford Engine pub (just follow the sky blue shirts...). There is also a handily placed fish & chip shop located across the road from the Longford Engine.

In-between Longford and Exhall just a few minutes walk from the Leisure Island Parking area (see below) is a Novotel which has a bar inside.Adrian Taylor a visiting Birmingham City fan informs me; 'The Greyhound Pub on Sutton Stop is a hidden gem. A traditional canalside pub that is also listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. You need to come off the M6 at Junction 3, but then drive away from the ground, towards Bedworth, on the B4113, turning left (under the M6) at the first roundabout. You then take the first right at the traffic lights, into Blackhorse Road and follow the road for a couple of miles until you reach a mini roundabout at which you turn right to go over a narrow canal bridge. You then take the next left for the Greyhound pub. The beauty of this place if it is a fine day, is that you can leave your car at the pub and then take the 20 minute walk along the canal to the stadium. After the game, you can have another drink or at least avoid the congestion near the ground'.

Alternatively, alcohol is also available inside the stadium in the form of bottles of 500ml Carling Lager at £3.40 each or Magners Cider (300ml) at £3.50.
 
COVENTRY by Train

From the footballgrounsguide site:

The stadium has its Coventry Arena Station, which is on a local line between Coventry and Nuneaton. However there is only an hourly service in operation with a limited capacity train (two carriages on Saturdays, carrying 150 people and only a single carriage in the Evenings carrying 75 people) so I personally wouldn't rely on it to get to the Ricoh, as you may find that you are unable to get on it as it is already full. Outward trains to the Arena leave Coventry Station from Platform 2 at 42 minutes past the hour. The journey takes around 7 minutes. After the match has ended the first train back to Coventry departs at 5.28pm on Saturday afternoons.

Coventry Railway Station is about three and half miles away from the stadium and really is too far to walk. Either take a bus or jump in a taxi (costs around £12 to the stadium).

The first stage of the journey takes you from the rail station to Pool Meadow bus station in Coventry City Centre. There are four services, all run by National Express. They are:

Services 9 and 9A (Destination University Hospital) Service 8 (Destination Woodway Park) Service 8A (Destination Wood End)

All these services depart from bus stop ER1 across the road at the left of the Coventry Railway Station entrance. The journey to Pool Meadow bus station takes about ten minutes.

All the above services will drop you off at Stand P at the Pool Meadow Bus Station. To then find a bus to take you to the Arena, then turn right from Stand P and take a route clockwise past Stands Q,R,S etc until you reach the end of the building. Go outside and go forward across one of the bus access roads until you reach the Northern edge of the bus station (with an elevated section of the ring road in front of you) turn right along the pavement until you reach Bus Shelter U. Board the single decker double bendibus Service 4 Signed Arena Park. The journey takes around 25 minutes. Ask the driver for the Arena Park Rail station stop. The stop is beside the steps that take you under the railway. Go up the steps the other side and slightly to the right to the stadium turnstiles at the away end. (South Stand). The Number 4 Bus runs every 15 minutes on Saturday afternoons.

Returning to Coventry Railway Station after the game:

Return under the railway carefully over the service road and through the Arena Retail Park car park along the front of the shops until you reach the end of the Tesco frontage. Turn left at the corner of the building and then walk on beside the Tesco end wall. To catch the Service 4 bendibus Signed University Hospital go straight ahead to bus shelter AD. The bus will drop you at Pool Meadow bus station at Stand N. On leaving the bus turn to your right and pass the stands by moving in a clockwise direction until you reach Stand R

From stand R it is around 10 minute journey to Coventry Rail station using Services 9 signed Green Lane, 9A Signed Wainbody, and 8 or 8A both signed Coventry Railway Station. Eventually the bus turns sharp right and passes a small park on your right (Greyfriars Green) just before turning left into the short station approach road to the rail station bus stop.

Bus Fares and Concessions

Unless you want to lay out a lot of money and are in the habit of taking a lot of loose change with you the best deal is to ask the driver of the first bus you board for an Off peak Day Saver ticket. For £4 you can make an unlimited number of bus journeys on the day. When you board another bus just show it to the driver. Please note that these tickets are only issued and valid on services run by National Express.

In addition, if you have an English Concessionary Pass because you are a Senior Citizen or Disabled then you are entitled to free off peak bus travel anywhere in England. In the West Midlands Off peak is defined as 9.30 am to 11pm Monday to Friday and all day at weekends. Just place your card on the pad beside the driver. It can be used on any local bus service, regardless of the provider

TRAINS FROM LONDON TO COVENTRY ARENA


OUTWARD

11.46 London Euston arrive 12.53 Nuneaton, 13.14 Nuneaton to Coventry Arena arrive 13.27 or
12.46 London Euston arrive 13.53 Nuneaton, 14.14 Nuneaton to Coventry Arena arrive 14.27

RETURN

17.49 Coventry Arena arrive Nuneaton 18.04, 1836 Nuneaton to London Euston 19.50

OFF-PEAK RETURN FARE £29.50

Fares can be booked on-line at the following link:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/London/CAA/291218/1100/dep/291218/1700/dep

RETURN FARE FROM SOUTHEND

Prices being shown as £65.80 with two off peak singles.
 
COACH SERVICES TO COVENTRY

We are extremely lucky two have two different independent coach services to away games, Shrimperzone's own service ZONE TRAVEL and one run by the SHRIMPERS TRUST.

Zone Travel have seats avaible at £15 adult at the following Link;
https://www.shrimperzone.com/forums/threads/zone-travel-to-coventry-city-sat-29-12-18.98176/

Shrimpers Trust have seats available at £20 members £25 non-members at the following link'
http://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/travel.asp?game_id=0
 
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COVENTRY TICKET INFORMATION

Details are now on the SUFC official site:

Tickets for Blues game against Coventry City on Saturday 29th December are on sale...
We have been allocated 1060 tickets in the South Stand, with more being available if required.

Tickets are on general sale on Friday 14th December at 9:30am.

Prices are as follows;

Adult £22 Advanced - £25 On the day
Senior 60+ £15 Advanced - £18 On the day
18-21 £15 Advanced - £18 On the day
Student £15 Advanced - £18 On the day
Under 18 £10 Advanced - £13 On the day

Please be advised that supporters may be held back after the final whistle due to crowd control.

Disabled tickets are charged at the age relevant price with a free carer. These tickets will need to be purchased from the Southend United Ticket Office and are not available online.

Purchase tickets for the game from the Blues Box Office, Online or by calling 08444 770077.
 
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WHAT’S IT LIKE FOR AWAY FANS

The following is from the footballgroundguide site;

https://www.footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/league-one/ricoh-arena-coventry-city.html#awhat-is-it-like-for-away-supporters

Away supporters are mostly accommodated to one side of the South Stand (Blocks 6 & 7) towards the corner with the West Stand. Around 3,000 supporters can be seated in this area. The angle of the stand is quite steep, meaning a fair bit of effort to climb to the top. Normally a steep stand means that fans are close to the playing action, but not here. Not only is there a sizeable red coloured track surrounding the playing area, but the stand itself is further set-back from the pitch. This does lead to some viewing problems, especially when the action is taking place at the other end. The leg room is adequate for most and the stadium does have good acoustics, which helps boost the atmosphere.

Entrance to the stadium is through automatic turnstiles, where you have to put your ticket (which has a bar code on it) into a slot reader, which then allows the turnstiles admit you. Behind the stands there are spacious concourses and a number of food and drink outlets. Food on offer includes; Steak Pie (£4), Chicken Curry Pie (£4), Cheese and Onion Pie (£4) and Sausage Rolls (£3.50). The concourses also have a number of televisions which show the game being played inside.

Matt Walters a visiting Reading fan adds; 'The Ricoh, as the tannoy announcer puts it, is one of the more interesting looking new grounds when compared to others such as the Walkers Stadium. The acoustics are superb which creates a great atmosphere. However, I found the seats to quite uncomfortable, which is disappointing bearing in mind that this is a brand new stadium'. I have also received reports of supporters being regularly ejected from the stadium for persistent standing, and stewards being somewhat heavy handed, so be on your best behaviour. After what seemed a mandatory 'pat down' search by the stewards outside the away turnstiles, entrance to the stadium is gained by putting the end of your ticket into a bar code reader. Sounds easy, but when the green light that lights up to show you that your ticket has been validated and you can now enter, is located up above your head, then many fans on my visit didn't see this and kept trying to put ticket back into the reader, leading to much confusion!

If you want an alternative to the stadium food, then around a ten minute walk away from the away turnstiles is the Arena Shopping Centre. As well as having a large Tesco's that has a cafe, there is also a Greggs, Subway, Marks & Spencers Cafe, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Burger King and a Frankie & Bennies. Plus normally on the Shopping Centre car park there are a couple of mobile outlets selling hot food.
 
I'd be conscious of work on the railway during Christmas week.....

Thanks MK that is what the National Railways Enquiries state at the moment but as you say these days are notorious for engineering work so be very careful before booking ask and ask again DoDtS
 
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If you can, it's well worth taking the opportunity to book into the hotel. You get your parking included then and you can see it as a nice post Christmas, pre-New Year treat! Hoping to convince hubby the same!
 
I am so impressed you are arranging this over one year in advance. Now that is top service
:Clap::Hilarious:

Just a deliberate mistake to see if any one actual reads this stuff :Smile:
Thanks now amended DoDtS


Screenshot 2018-11-18 at 18.58.00.png
 
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Zone Travel service to
Coventry City
Saturday 29th December 2018 k/o 15-00

Prices set at £20 per seat

Family Saver Available for this Service. 1 Adult, 1 Under 16 go for £35. Thanks to Davin Foods Dagenham for their generous support over the years.

TRAVEL STATUS. Sorry Service looks full. Thanks for your support.

usual high class service as always, Free Drinks, Goodies and games included.

It's easy T-Ze to book a seat and you can either PM me here on ShrimperZone; alternatively Text or Call on the T Z Zone Phone hotline on:

075811-45056

Please see the Terms and Conditions of Travel in our TravelZone Section.

DEPARTURE TIMES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Kent Elms 8-40

Bell 8-43

Blue Boar 8-48

Odeon 8-50

Palace Theatre 8-55

The Elms PH.....Bus stop 9:03

Hadleigh ...London Rd (top of Woodfield Rd) 9:08

Tarpots Bus stop nearest Saddlers Farm 9:20

Pitsea Old Bingo Hall 9-25

Watermill Bus stop...
Eastmayne, opposite Longmans Motors 9:30


Fortune of War 9-35
 
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