Brighton
Capacity: 7,950 (all seated)
Address: Tongdean Lane, Brighton, BN1 5JD
Main Telephone No: 01273-695-400
Ticket Office: 01273-776-992
Team Nickname: The Seagulls
Year Ground Opened: 1936
Pitch Size: 110 x 75 yards
Home Kit Colours: Blue & White
Official Web Site: www.seagulls.co.uk
The Evening Star, 55 / 56 Surrey Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3PB, Tel 01273 328931
The original location of the excellent Dark Star brewery, The Evening Star has been a London Branch favourite for several years now. The brewery opened in the pub cellar back in 1994 and moved to a larger site in 2001 to cope with demand. The pub has 7 house ales on at any one time rotating through their extensive range and a good selection of imported bottled beers. Unfortunately the Evening Star has a no children policy.
Other Boozers and Food Outlets Worth a Visit
Brighton is a cosmopolitan and vibrant city with lots of great pubs and restaurants. Having said that when a pub as good as the Evening Star is right next to the train station why bother going anywhere else? The options round the Withdean are limited, although the Sportsman pub at the ground does allow away fans in.
The Sportsman, Behind the North Stand, Withdean Stadium, Tongdean Lane, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5JD. Tel: 01273 505561
Bland chain pub that serves bland food and even blander beer. That said it is family friendly and the scran is reported to be very good value for money. It’s also right next to the ground and very convenient if you want a last minute pint before kick off. Rumour has it they may have started to stock Harvey’s Bitter on draught so it might be improving?
There are quite a few shops and take aways round the train station while bog standard scran is available inside the ground but not alcohol.
Tickets
The game is an All Ticket match. There will be no ticket sales at the ground on the day of the game.
Prices Seated:
Adult - £21.00
Senior (65+) - £15.00
Students (with ID) - £16.50
Under 21 - £16.50
Under 16 - £13.50
Under 10 - £1.00
Ambulant Disabled - £15.00
Match day tickets include a free park a ride service and free travel on public transport in a triangular zone around Brighton covering all points inside Haywards Health, Shoreham and Seaford. Therefore if coming via train from London you only need to book tickets as far as Haywards Heath providing you are in possession of a match ticket. As a result, match tickets will be distributed At either London Bridge Station or on the train to Brighton - see below. For those driving to the Withdean tickets can be posted directly to your home address, please indicate when ordering if you require this. Note CUFC charge 50p for postage on tickets sent to a home address.
How To Get There
By Train
The branch group save train is the 10.57 out of London Bridge, calling at East Croydon 11.11, arriving in Brighton 11.54. Cost should be £5-6 each depending on numbers, if you wish to join us then please email travel@carlislelondonbranch.org indicating whether you wish to get on at London Bridge or East Croydon.
Preston Park is the closest station to the ground but only slow trains out of London stop there. Therefore it is recommended you get a quick train into Brighton, head to the Evening Star for a few beers then double back one stop to Preston Park.
The likely trains we will take to and from the ground are:
Brighton – 14.37 arrive Preston Park – 14.41
Preston Park – 17.11 arrive Brighton – 17.16
There are plenty of trains back to London with the fastest direct services at 17.34, 18.04, 18.07, 18.34 and 19.04. We will probably head back to the Evening Star for a couple more pints before heading back into the smoke.
By Car & Where To Park
The stadium is located two miles away from Brighton town centre just off the A23, London Road. There is no parking within a mile of the ground but there is an excellent park and ride scheme available at Mill Road which is free to match ticket holders.
For more information on travel options to the Withdean please click here.
An old athletics stadium out of town complete with running track between the temporary stands and pitch. The seats have a poor incline and are miles away from the action, the scoreboard is barely visible (let alone readable) to the visually challenged amongst us, the food kiosk is a titchy caravan, the bogs a couple of portacabins and if it rains you are going to get very, very wet. In short, it’s shit!
When Have We Been There Before?
To read a match report of our trip there in 2009 click here.