What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters?
Away supporters are mostly accommodated to one side of the Jewson South Stand (Blocks 6 & 7) towards the corner with the Telent 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 this in turn is a considerable distance from the pitch itself. 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 should help boost the atmosphere.
Also in first gaining entry to the stand, the Club operate 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 serving amongst other things Chicken Balti, Steak & Kidney & Cheese & Onions pies (all at �2.70), as well as large sausage rolls (also �2.70). There is also a Wimpy outlet. 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.
Again just when you think on your travels that you have seen it all.... I couldn't quite believe seeing near to the stadium 'Bubbles Car Wash' which advertised topless car washes for £15! Considering it was a cold November night, I thought that they should be charging more than £15 for that!
Where To Drink?
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'.
Jamie Greenway adds; 'The Black Horse Pub, in-between Longford and Exhall has been attracting a fair amount of away supporters for most games. If you go to the top of Longford Road and around the roundabout towards Exhall, its on the right and normally has a burger van outside'. It is also only five minutes walk from the Leisure Island Parking area (see below) and also offers some limited free car parking at the pub itself. Also in this area is a Novotel that also has a bar. Alternatively alcohol is also available inside the stadium in the form of bottles of 500ml Carling Lager at £3.10 each. Although on my last visit I wasn't too impressed to be served a warm bottle from an open tray, rather than a chilled one.
How To Get There And Where To Park
Leave the M6 at Junction 3. Take the A444 towards the city centre and after one mile you will reach the stadium on your left.
Parking at the stadium is for permit holders only and fans are being encouraged to use the Park & Ride facilities plus a number of satellite car parks in operation on matchdays. There is a good sized retail park located next to the stadium, but I guess restrictions will be put in place on matchdays. In addition a 'residents only' parking scheme has been put in place for all residential streets within a mile of the ground. The Club are utilising a number of car parks within walking distance of the stadium, in such places as factory units and local schools. The cost per car for these official car parks is �5. Blue badge holders can park at the stadium itself at a cost of �7.
The nearby Tesco car park is well 'policed' on matchdays. Free parking is restricted to two hours only unless you spend �25 or more in one of the shops on the Retail Park (you then attach the receipt to your windscreen), which include Next, Boots and Marks & Spencers.
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 �5 per car and to find the car park, follow the 'pink arrrow' signs 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. Nearby is a similar set-up called Ricoh Arena Parking and again you book online. From Junction 3 of the M6 take the B4113 towards Bedworth at the first roundabout take the 3rd exit and the car park is down on the right, almost opposite the Novotel. Also note that both car parks close one hour after the final whistle.
By Train
Coventry train station is about three and half miles away from the stadium and really is too far to walk. There is a shuttle bus that operates from the bus station to the Tesco/Arena stadium complex. It departs every 10 minutes and costs �3 return (for adults), otherwise jump in a taxi.
Lori Kilpatrick adds; 'there is a bus stop directly outside the train station, from which most passing buses go to the Pool Meadow Bus Station. On checking that the bus indeed goes to the Bus Station ask for a "match day ticket" which will cost you �3.50 and will cover all journeys on that day in Coventry (note no change is given on Coventry buses so have the exact cash ready). Get off at Pool Meadow and look for the stand from which the Football Special Service operates from (there will be probably be a number of other fans in the vicinity). The service number is 101 and runs every 10 minutes from two hours prior to kick off and then returns every five minutes, for one hour after the game has ended. Buses depart after the match from outside the Jewson South Stand'. Tim Sansom a visiting Ipswich Town fan adds; 'After the match there was a massive queue for the six football special buses going back to the city centre. We decided not to wait and walked up to the to the roundabout (signposted Holbrooks) by the stadium and caught the number 13 service back into the city'.