Tranmere: Directions, Beer & Food

[Diego_Sideburns]

Tranmere Rovers, Prenton Park, Prenton Rd West, Birkenhead, CH42 9PY.

 

Away fans are housed in the Cowshed, a single-tiered stand which looks a little strange as one side of it has more rows than the other, giving a sloping effect. It is fairly new, covered and all-seated stand, with good facilities and unhindered views of the pitch. It can hold up to 2,500 fans.

 

NOTE:

1. There are only 5 turnstiles on Prenton Road West (opposite the Prenton Park Hotel), which can lead to long queues approaching kick-off.

2. There are discounts for young persons (17-22), juniors (16 and under) and seniors (over 60). However, these discounts are not available from the turnstiles and therefore tickets must be purchased (evidence is required) from the portakabin at the far end of the players' car park. Be prepared for long queues as kick-off approaches.

 

There are not many places in the stadium to hang flags, and therefore they need to be laid across the seats.

 

Borough Road in front of the stadium can be closed on a match-day (depending on the anticipated crowd) from about 20 minutes before kick-off and occasionally after the final whistle.

 

Disabled facilities:

There spaces for 36 wheelchair users situated in the Bebington Paddock, including 8 spaces for disabled away supporters.

 

The location of the wheelchair bays is close to the pitch but only affords a pitch-level view. You are also exposed to the elements as the roof offers little cover. Carers are given seats behind the relevant wheelchair bay. Access is via a very steep slope down to pitch-side which is not ideal

 

There are 12 disabled parking spaces, most of which are reserved for season ticket holders. Should you require a disabled car parking space, it costs £4 and you are advised to ring the ticket office in advance to confirm that they will reserve a bay for you. You should also specify whether you require a wide bay for getting access to a wheelchair or whether you just require a bay close to the entrance in the case of supporters who have difficulty with mobility.

 

There are two adapted toilets at the top of the ramp in the Main Stand, but the turning space inside is not great.

 

The burger van sells food and drink in this area, but it is difficult to reach up to the counter for wheelchair users. There are stewards in the disabled area who are able to assist with any difficulties which disabled supporters may face.

 

The Club also have five headphones which are able to relay match commentary to any visually-impaired supporters. However, these have been known not to work, so any supporters with visual impairments should contact the Club before travelling.

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Contact: Sue Higby Tel: 0151 609 0137.

 

How to get there:

From the North:

From Liverpool City Centre travel through either the Wallasey Tunnel onto the M53 (leaving at junctions 3 or 4 - see below), or the Queensway Mersey Tunnel (signposted Birkenhead) and after the toll booths (£1.40 charge for cars), bear right onto the flyover, from where the stadium is signposted. Continue along Borough Road for approximately three miles and the stadium is in front of you.

 

From the South/East:

From M6/M56 join the M53 and exit at Junction 3 and take the A552 Woodchurch Road towards Birkenhead. You will pass a Sainsbury’s and then as you reach the Half Way House pub turn right at the traffic lights onto the B5151 Mount Road. Take the first left for the ground.

 

Alternative route:

From M6/M56 join the M53 and exit at Junction 4 and take the B5151 Mount Road from the fourth exit of the roundabout (the ground is signposted from here). After two and a half miles when Mount Road becomes Storeton Road, turn right into Prenton Road West and the ground will be visible on the right.

 

Parking:

There is a car park at the stadium, otherwise street parking.

NOTE: There is a strict local residents parking scheme in operation, especially around Mount Road, Prenton Road East and West and the various roads leading from them.

 

By train:

Birkenhead Central and Conway Park Merseyrail stations on the Wirral Line (from Liverpool Lime Street go underneath the main concourse and follow signs) are closest to the stadium, though you should expect a walk of around 25 minutes. However, the stations are within a couple of minutes walk of the central bus station from where several buses run to near the stadium (see below).

 

If walking from Birkenhead Central station cross the road, turn right, then at the roundabout turn Left onto Borough Road (A552) towards Heswall. Go through four sets of traffic lights passing a Shell Garage on the left and at the 5th roundabout (signposted B5152 Clatterbridge and Tranmere Rovers FC), walk straight through onto Borough Road, and the stadium is on the right after passing the Prenton Park Pub.

 

An alternative is to use Rock Ferry station and make the 20 minutes walk to the stadium up Bedford Road, Bedford Avenue and Bedford Drive to Borough Road.

 

From Conway Park, turn right outside the station and walk 100 yards to the Bus Station.

 

For further information about journeys by public transport, visit the Merseytravel website at www.merseytravel.org or try the 24 hour hotline on 0870 608 2 608.

 

By bus:

From Liverpool Queen’s Square Bus Station you can take the cross-river services 417,418, 441 and 472 (Singleton Avenue) or 464 (Prenton Park) or 488 (along Mount Road).

 

You can get a bus to the stadium from Birkenhead Central Bus Station, by making your way through the Grange Shopping Precinct, which is located on the opposite side of the main roundabout outside Birkenhead Central Station.

 

From stands 3 and 4, buses 3, 3A, 33B, 41, 42, 71, 72 all take to you the bottom of Singleton Avenue which is the alighting point. The stadium is then five minutes walk, heading along Borough Road. Alternatively, the 83, 83A, 177, 240 and 464 will take you almost adjacent to the stadium, alighting at the bus stop opposite Bogan’s Carpets and the Prenton Park pub.

 

Merseytravel also offers a Soccerbus service from Birkenhead Central and Hamilton Square stations which runs from 90 minutes before kick off at 15/20 minute intervals until 20 minutes before kick off, and for 20 minutes after the final whistle. If you book your Soccerbus ticket with your train ticket, the service costs £1 return or paying on the bus itself will cost £1 each way. The service is free for those with free travel passes, saveaways, solo or trio tickets.

 

Where to drink:

Noted pubs:

 

Mersey Clipper, 17, Prenton Road West, Birkenhead, Closest pub to the stadium; just behind the Main Stand. No restrictions on away supporters using it. Imposes coloured plastic 'glasses' on match-days. .

 

Prenton Park Hotel, 796, Borough Road, Birkenhead. Step outside, cross the road, and you are at the away end. Standard range of keg beer and cider, lagers, Guinness etc., with Sky-Sports.

 

The Sportsman’s Arms, 9, Prenton Road East, Birkenhead. A sports orientated pub with five screens and a pool table, and only 500 yards from Prenton Park. Typical pub grub served lunchtime and early evening weekdays and all day until early evening at weekends. Food prices are cheap. Although heavily used by home fans I am not aware of issues with visiting supporters. Also has its own car park.

 

The Halfway House, 293, Woodchurch Road, Birkenhead. .Typical pub food served throughout the day until early evening. Children welcome if eating. Has Sky TV and a juke box, wheelchair access to the bar, disabled adapted toilet and parking for twenty cars. Switch/cash back and credit cards accepted. Less than ten minutes walk to the stadium.

 

NOTE: It is a criminal offence to drink alcohol on the streets of Birkenhead, so you may find yourself being arrested if you do.

 

Alcohol is available in the away end.

 

If you are looking to go out drinking after the game, other than the pubs already mentioned around the stadium, the three main drinking areas in Birkenhead are Charing Cross (popular with people in trainers and socks pulled up over their tracksuit bottoms), and Hamilton Square and Conway Street (both more expensive and generally popular with the young, trendy crowd).

 

Where to eat:

The pubs recommended for away fans serve food although the menu on match-days is somewhat limited, with most stopping serving food a good three hours before kick-off.

 

There are several fast food outlets along Borough Road, including Sayer’s Bakers, Captain Tony's Pizza Emporium, Ruby's chip shop, Eastern Delight Chinese and a couple of cafes.

 

If you fancy something a bit more substantial, the Venezia Italian Restaurant opposite the stadium on Prenton Road West is less than a minute on foot from the turnstiles.

 

The usual variety of chips, hot dogs, burgers and pies is served inside the stadium.

 

Cash machines:

Both the Mersey Clipper pub and the Co-op supermarket on Borough Road have Link cash machines.

 

Map of the area:

http://www.myfootygrounds.co.uk/StadiumDet...mp;StadiumId=61

 

Attractions:

Birkenhead Park was the first publicly-funded park in Britain, and it had a strong influence on American landscape architect Frederick Olmstead, who incorporated many of the features into his design for Central Park in New York.

 

The Cheshire Oaks outlet village is worth a look if you want to do any shopping, although it can get very busy on a Saturday and you can quickly lose the will to live after trying to dodge the prams and pushchairs for an hour or two.

 

Other than that, New Brighton and West Kirby are pleasant on a summer's day and for children there's the Spaceport down by Seacombe Ferry.

 

Port Sunlight, built in 1888 by Lord Leverhulme for his workers and comprising of 900 Grade 2 listed buildings, now incorporates the Hillsborough Memorial Garden, a focal point for families and friends to remember the 96 who were tragically killed in the F.A. Cup semi-final disaster on 15th April 1989

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Of course both Chester and Liverpool have decent nightlife and plenty to see and do, whatever your interests.

[Diego_Sideburns]

Weather permitting!

Edited February 3, 2010 by Diego_Sideburns

[tangerinedreams]

There is also a tour of the Mersey Tunnel if that is what rocks your boat, I don't know the ins and outs though

[LaticsLee]

any fear that this may be called off ??

[garcon]

I suppose it depends how many loan players Tranny are planning on signing next week.

 

Diego, did you really need to quote yourself in entirety to add that?

[rosa]

Weather permitting!

It's chucked it down with snow* all afternoon and it's freezing, so unless it warms up tomorrow/Friday there's a good chance it'll get called off.

 

*by our standards,i'm sure that in Oldham it wouldn't be classed as anything more than a bit of a flurry and a bit of a chill in the air

[Diego_Sideburns]

Diego, did you really need to quote yourself in entirety to add that?

 

Good point well made. And to think I was only trying to bump it.

[Roger Ritchie]

What is Tranmere?

[oldhamains]

Are they selling tickets at boundary park? The discounts for young persons tickets?

[garcon]

Good point well made. And to think I was only trying to bump it.

[Diego_Sideburns]

It was a big improvement in the Mersey Clipper today to have proper glasses in use rather than the normal brightly-coloured plastic ones. Things are looking up with football fans being teated in this way.

[wardlelatic]

match over so thread closed