Brentford: Directions, Beer & Food

[Diego_Sideburns]

Griffin Park, Braemar Road, Brentford, TW8 0NT.

 

Away fans used to be accommodated 0n an open terrace, but the Club have now erected a roof on this end and given it back to the home fans.

 

Now away fans are housed in the Brook Road Stand at one end of the ground. This covered stand has 600 seats in its upper tier and room for around 1,000 fans below in the shallow terrace.

 

The upper tier has good unhindered views of the playing area, whilst below in the lower terraced area there are a couple of prominent supporting pillars, which may affect your view.

 

Disabled facilities:

There are a limited number of disabled seating areas for both home and away fans in the South West corner of Braemar Road, with space for helpers (who sit behind and are admitted free). The area is right by the pitch, with an excellent view and is also next to the players’ tunnel. Steward assistance is available if required. Toilet facilities are behind the disabled viewing area, located in the South Stand next to the catering outlets.

 

There are also fourteen seats for the visually impaired at the back of Braemar Road, where club commentary is provided. For more information, or information on ambulant places, call Winnie Taylor on 08453456442 or email wtaylor@brentfordfc.co.uk .

 

How to get there:

 

By road:

Exit M25 at Junction 15 (signposted Heathrow Terminals 1,2 & 3, London (West)) and take the M4 eastbound. After 8.3 miles exit M4 at junction 2 (signposted A4, N and S Circular A406 (A205), Chiswick A315), onto slip road down onto the A4, which runs underneath, and parallel to the M4. After 0.7 miles you reach Chiswick Roundabout.

 

Then Either :

Take the fourth exit (signposted South Circular A205, A316, M3 Richmond) onto Chiswick High Road/Kew Bridge Road. Go straight on for 0.3 miles to junction/lights (Kew Bridge Junction). Here, keep in the lane for the A315 and go straight on (signposted Hounslow, Brentford A315). At the traffic lights after 0.5 miles turn right (by McDonald’s) into Ealing Road, (B455) which runs past Griffin Park.

OR

Go around the Chiswick Roundabout so that you end up coming back on yourself. Continue along the A4 and at the first roundabout take a left onto the B455 (Ealing Road). The ground is located about half a mile down this road on your right

 

Parking:

If you get there early you should find street parking within a five minute walk of the ground.

 

Otherwise, when you reach Chiswick Roundabout go right round it and back onto the A4, keeping in lanes signposted Staines/Hounslow for 1.5 miles until the traffic lights. Turn left into Boston Manor Road. One of the best areas for parking is on Somerset Road, which is on the right-hand side after a mile.

 

By train:

The nearest train station is Brentford, which is around five minutes walk away from the ground. This station is on the London Waterloo to Reading line, which normally run every 15 minutes on Saturday afternoons. To get from the station to the ground, exit onto Station Road. Take the first right into Orchard Road, right again into Windmill Road and then first left into Hamilton Road which leads into New Road and the ground.

 

An alternative is to use Kew Bridge station which is on the same line as Brentford. Take the steps up from platforms to the main exit and turn right. When you reach McDonald‘s, turn right again into Ealing Road.

 

By Tube:

The nearest Underground Station to the ground is South Ealing (Piccadilly Line, Zone 4). It is around a 15 minute walk from the ground, down Ealing Road. Turn right out of the station and just go straight down Ealing Road, then cross the A4 at the bottom. Otherwise as you come out of the station cross over to the other side of Ealing Road and catch a number 65 bus down to the ground.

 

Alternatively Gunnersbury (District Line, Zone 3) is 1.3 miles from the ground. If you fancy walking, leave the station via Chiswick High Road and turn left. After 0.3 miles, at Chiswick Roundabout, take 2nd exit (s/p S. Circular A205) into Chiswick High Road, which becomes Kew Bridge Road. When you reach the traffic lights, take the A315 Turn right at the traffic lights by McDonald’s into the B455 Ealing Road and the ground is on your left.

 

By Bus:

The E8 is a frequent service from Hanwell along Boston Manor Road, while the E2 runs from West Ealing along Windmill Road. The No. 65 runs from south of the river, over Kew Bridge. Nos. 237, 267 and H29 run along Kew Bridge Road. The main night bus is the N97, Brentford High Street to either Central London or Heathrow Airport.

 

Where to drink:

Beer and lager is sold inside the stadium.

 

There is a club bar called Stripes, but it is not officially open to away fans.

 

Griffin Park, named after a brewery which owned the surrounding land, is THE ground for pubs! Not only is it famously the only club in England with a pub on each corner, it also holds the record for having the most pubs within a square mile.

 

The four ’corner’ pubs are:

The Royal Oak (on the New Road corner of Brook Road) is a quieter more laid back pub, very small and friendly, although the size means it can get quite crowded. Bar food and Sky Sports.

 

The Griffin (on the Brook road corner of Braemar Road) offers a wide selection of real ales, it is very cramped and has a small beer garden at the rear.

 

The Princess Royal (on the Ealing Road corner of Braemar Road) is a pub recently taken over by the club and is your best bet for drinking and snacking. It is friendly, laid back and reasonably priced. The main drawback however is the time it can take to get a drink, when it gets busy. Bacon sarnies are highly recommended.

 

The New Inn offers live TV sport and is the favoured pub for away supporters. Food served and has a small patio garden.

 

Other pubs include:

The Potters Arms, just a couple of minutes walk away across the road from the New Inn, is a nice quiet little place with a large screen showing Sky Sports.

 

The Magpie & Crown on Brentford High Street serves food, has four real ales on tap, traditional ciders and foreign lagers. Patio at the rear.

 

O’Riordan’s (formerly Captain Morgan’s) also on Brentford High Street, halfway along from Kew Bridge to Ealing Road, serves food and has exterior seating by the river. This Irish bar also has a framed extract from Tony Adams’ book describing how Niall Quinn took him there to sample the ‘best pint of Guinness in London‘.

 

Food:

In addition to those pubs mentioned, a McDonald’s is a five minute walk from the ground down Ealing Road on the corner of the A315.

 

Azure catering company has recently taken over catering at Griffin Park. They offer the usual burgers, pies and sausage rolls plus curry.

 

Cash Machine:

The town centre is a short walk from the ground, and you want to avoid being charged to take your money out in a cash machine in one of the main pubs, use the one in Somerfield, a five/ten minute walk down Ealing Road.

 

Places to see:

Kew Bridge Steam Museum, home to the world’s largest working steam engine.

http://www.kbsm.org/

 

The Musical Museum:

http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/

 

Kew Gardens.

http://www.kew.org/

[opinions4u]

Superb.

 

Brentford have sorted out my Tesco CLubcard tickets.

Got Lad and Dad train tickets to Euston for £26 return.

Free overnight accomodation in a 5 star hotel.

£20 worth of luncheon vouchers to feed us on!

 

Life is good.

[rudemedic]

By train:

The nearest train station is Brentford, which is around five minutes walk away from the ground. This station is on the London Waterloo to Reading line, which normally run every 15 minutes on Saturday afternoons. To get from the station to the ground, exit onto Station Road. Take the first right into Orchard Road, right again into Windmill Road and then first left into Hamilton Road which leads into New Road and the ground.

 

An alternative is to use Kew Bridge station which is on the same line as Brentford. Take the steps up from platforms to the main exit and turn right. When you reach McDonald‘s, turn right again into Ealing Road.

 

Note that whilst Kew bridge is walkable to the ground, its on the Brentford end side (might give you the best way round the pubs though), especially if you cut the corner off by turning right by the steam museum, opposite the big pub into Green Dragon lane. Its also about 50% further to walk.

 

Plus judging by the 30 minute wait I had at Vauxhall station last time, trains don't necessarily run every 15 minutes (that is probably the longest wait you'll get though)

 

EDIT: Last time the Griffin had a hog roast on (it was August Bank holiday), the sandwiches in the Princess Royal were good though (not as good as the Hog roast looked)

Edited September 29, 2010 by rudemedic

[leeslover]

Note that whilst Kew bridge is walkable to the ground, its on the Brentford end side (might give you the best way round the pubs though), especially if you cut the corner off by turning right by the steam museum, opposite the big pub into Green Dragon lane. Its also about 50% further to walk.

I can't for the life of me remember why but I must have been doing something random somewhere and I ended up walking down along the river from Kew Bridge last time. Very nice walk in nice weather, takes a bit longer but if you aren't in a rush and have no sense of shame about swigging from cans of strong lager in unsuitable public areas it's an alternative to be considered.

[RichmondLatic]

I can't for the life of me remember why but I must have been doing something random somewhere and I ended up walking down along the river from Kew Bridge last time. Very nice walk in nice weather, takes a bit longer but if you aren't in a rush and have no sense of shame about swigging from cans of strong lager in unsuitable public areas it's an alternative to be considered.

 

Hoping to persuade 10-15 mates to come along. And afterwards my recommendation is to go into Richmond for a few beers...see you in the Princes Head!

 

 

[jsslatic]

The New Inn's great.

 

The Griffin is alright.

 

The other two are awful.

[OldhamSheridan]

The New Inn's great.

 

The Griffin is alright.

 

The other two are awful.

 

 

Brewery Tap, by the water/industrial estate is the best down there.

 

The other four blend into one - and none are great.

[spadam]

The New Inn's great.

 

The Griffin is alright.

 

The other two are awful.

will try and do them all. 1st time I've been to brentford.

[oafcprozac]

will try and do them all. 1st time I've been to brentford.

 

Did them in before the 2-2 draw in 2001 (don't remember the first-half!!!) , as I get into the smoke at just after 11, I reckon there's a good chance of doing all 4 this season...

Edited September 30, 2010 by oafcprozac

[rudemedic]

Did them in before the 2-2 draw in 2001 (don't remember the first-half!!!) , as I get into the smoke at just after 11, I reckon there's a good chance of doing all 4 this season...

 

That should be plenty of time since I got into the smoke around 12 (King's cross) last year and got round all 4 (despite having a bad connection at Vauxhall)