Ol I cannot believe the Bricklayers are not allowing away fans. The landlord is a pillock. He even closed on Boxing Day which is traditionally the biggest gates we get at home! Absolute kn*b jockey. You can either pretend to be from Essex and speak with plastic cockney accents or go elsewhere because there literally are no other real ale pubs the stadium side of town.
If you think back to Scunny's ground when it was first built, its just like that. Out of town, soulless, characterless, just crap pretty much. I mean there is regeneration work going in up there, but it wont be ready for a few years. It so frustrating when Layer Road, despite being a complete and utter dump had so many decent amenities and was close to the town.
For Real Ale the closest real decent pub is the Fat Cat.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB
fficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=fat+cat+colchester&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=fat+cat&hnear=0x47d8e24e12f62f05:0x175d5f1c455091de,Colchester,+Essex&cid=17661576723730982190 There is a big public car park just up the road from there (Butt Road, near Layer Rd). The local Wetherspoons "The Playhouse" is also just inside the town centre and is about a 10 minute walk from the car park. Next to that is the Fox and Fiddler which is a real ale pub, but it is the favourite pub of the paras who can get a bit funny...
The closest pub to the ground which should let away fans in is the Dog and Pheasant.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?cid=4466821871842086945&q=dog+and+pheasant+colchester&ved=0CCwQ-gswAA&sa=X&ei=CBwnT76wM4iZjwf8rtlZ&sig2=OElIl5r0v4d7GbhKxzZY8w Not sure what beers they do to be honest as do not venture there as I stay in the town. They have a small parking area at the rear and there is street parking in Defoe Crescent, just up the road if you cannot get in the car park. There are stewards manning the entry to request you to not park there, but they cannot physically stop you due to it being a freeway... To55ers. Be warned that the locals down that end of town are a miserable lot and do not always like people parking down there. Heard a story of a car being keyed, but my friend regularly parks down their without issue. Its about a 15 minute walk to the stadium too.
In terms of paying for parking. Rapid Electronics is cheap as chips and a 15 minute walk from the ground. Once you take the stadium junction instead of heading to the stadium, head left down axial way and Rapid is on the corner of the business park.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GBfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=rapid+electronics+colchester&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=rapid+electronics&hnear=0x47d8e24e12f62f05:0x175d5f1c455091de,Colchester,+Essex&cid=0,0,9054765470852253679&ei=MBsnT4iWCYWP0AW7iJHOCg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBEQ_BI
Parking at the ground costs £6 but I am reliably informed that it is nearly full now. There is other companies that allow parking but they are expensive. Please do not park anywhere on the access roads to the station. The jobworths come out in force to ticket everyone that does.
Any one coming from the station then the Norfolk is the closest pub, take a right out of the station, under the bridge and across the road at the traffic lights. Proceed down North Station Road and the Norfolk is on your right. It has Sky, Pool table and has your fizzy water, not so sure on real ale however.
We have buses which run people back and forth to near the stadium at Bruff Close. It costs £1.50 and is a quick an efficient service.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=bruff+close+colchester&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GBfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=IhsnT93DHqbB0QWGiaDOCg&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=3&ved=0CA8Q_AUoAg
Hope those bloody links work. Everything is a bit tinpot at the moment. One last thing is the prices of food and drink inside the ground are poor. We have complained big time and club are looking at alternatives for next season. So apologies in advance for that!
---------- Post added at 10:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 PM ----------
ColUDave,
Not going to the match but I wonder if your new ground has undersoil heating? Weather forecast suggesting that it will be very cold this weekend
We do not have it as it ruins the grass. I am reliably informed from those in the know, that despite the snow the temperatures are not set to dip below - 1 at night this week.
Mind you it was a bit below that this afternoon, but I have just got home from playing football and it is warmer this evening than it has been in the day. We will have the covers on and despite the snow forecasted for this week they will do everything in their power to make sure it goes ahead. Our head groundsman does a brilliant job, so hope all will be ok.
Hopefully we wont do an MK Dons (against Carlisle) and let SUFC know before its too late. I will keep popping back and forth to let you know if there is any doubt. I know quite a few people at the club so will be well placed to advise if there are any problems.
Quite looking forward to it although I liked Layer Road!
