Loftus Road Sports Fan Tips
Loftus Road is a venue in or near London that is most often used for Soccer
What to expect from the Loftus Road crowd?
As it is quite a small and compact stadium that has a low-hanging roof, sound travels well which makes it a great atmosphere, full of fun and friendly banter! All away supporters are seated together in School End which makes for fun "us vs them” noise. The biggest rivals of home team, QPR is Chelsea or Fulham so it is best to avoid those kit and colors when coming to this venue (it will also help you get into pubs afterwards if you avoid these as well).It is a fun, family orientated crowd and since it is quite comparatively small at 18,000 it is a fun and buzzing atmosphere, notoriously noisy and is not dangerous especially as this stadium permits accompanied children (unlike many others).If you are looking to buy kit or gear there is an online shop that you should check out if you want to get stocked up before a match. Alternatively, there is a "stadium superstore” on site open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm. When doing well you will often hear fans start chanting:And it's Queens Park Rangers,Queens Park Rangers FC,We're the finest team,The world has ever seen…To which the away team usually replies with the same (insert their team name!)
Things to check out around Loftus Road?
QPR offer both match day and non-match day tours which are priced at £15 for adults and under 18's at £7.50. You can book a match day tour when the tickets for the match go on sale and can sometimes get booked pretty quickly however there are tours taking place on a Tuesday and Saturday during the week in case you miss out. The tours include exclusive access to; the tunnel, pitch, press and hospitality areas, trophy displays, honours board and the changing rooms for both the home and away teams.Another interesting activity to do near the stadium is "Escape London” especially as a team or large group because this is a live game where you have to beat the clock and escape. With 3 different options to choose from it is fine if you are coming back for a second visit and it is less than 15 minutes away from Loftus Road.
Best Pubs around Loftus Road?
Due to the location of Loftus Road there are plenty of pubs in the vicinity with several being available with less than a two minute walk away. A local favorite is the Albertine which is around a 15 minute walk away and is a bar in Wood Lane that offers food as well for pre or post-match. They are a wine bar but also sell real ale and beer which makes it great for a mixed group of people on match day.If you are after something a little closer, the British Queen Pub is under a ten minute walk away and usually offers happy hour, discount prices on match day and has traditional pub games such as darts and fruit machines on offer. They also offer a small traditional pub menu (along with vegetarian options), live sport, real ale and is accessible for the disabled.It is important to note that while there isn't a specific "QPR” bar or pub, some of the local pubs have doormen outside who can (inconsistently) turn away travelling supporters so if you are wearing away colors you may not get into your first choice of pub! (luckily there are plenty of options).
Best Food and Drink at Loftus Road?
There are food and drinks available at the venue and alcohol is served but make sure to bring your ID! For away supporters there is a designated serving area in School End which is where the away supporters are seated. Here, you can expect to pay around £4-£4.20 for a pint, £1.50 for sweets and snacks, £2.10 for a cup of tea and around £3-£4 for a warm pie or sausage roll. Soft drinks and hot chocolate are also available for the kids before the match and also during half time. No bottles, class, alcohol or cans are to be brought into the stadium with you, bags are generally searched and you should probably leave snacks at home too.If you are looking for a VIP experience, QPR offers a "C-Club” package that involves the best viewing padded seats, four course dining menu, complimentary bar, half-time drinks, hostesses and VIP parking for around £500 per person (so it's not cheap but this is inclusive of tickets if that helps?). For a cheaper alternative they also offer a lesser package in the W12 restaurant for £149 - £179 (dependent on the match category) that offers padded halfway line seats, three course meal, parking, refreshments at half time and a bar area and a QPR legend in attendance during the match.
Best restaurants near Loftus Road?
For restaurants, you should walk to Shepherds Bush Common and Uxbridge road which is less than 15 minutes away, where you have an eclectic range of cuisine and something for everyone if you are making an evening or meal out of it. The options along here include Jamie's Italian and Nando's which are well known restaurants and perfect for those with kids, Esarn Kheaw which is a Thai restaurant which is a favorite as well as Syrian and Caribbean options as well. For fussy eaters, Jamie's Italian offers a wider choice and more traditional British food while Nando's is a popular favorite because it is more reasonably priced and affordable.These are all easy to get to and there are also takeaway food shops along the way for a quick and easy bite if that is what you are looking for and you will definitely be spoilt for choice. One thing to note is that pre-booking is recommended, especially on match days (and at Jamie's Italian) because they book up quickly and can lead to long queues.
Loftus Road seating?
With a capacity of 18,000, a family stand and disabled access there are plenty of accessibility options for everyone. Seats are organized into Bronze- Platinum rating with matches in category A and B depending on the type. Platinum, category A seating will cost you around £39 per adult, £24 for under 18's and under 8's are free. There are also discounts for senior and young adult and students to make it more affordable. There are not much difference in price if you look at the bronze tickets where you should expect adults to pay around £25, £13 for under 18's and the usual discounts for the others.For some of the best atmosphere, the liveliest seats are in clock R or QU (although QU is for members or season ticket holders only) and school end is also a great view of the game. The worst seats are in the Y2 section with a lot of complaints of restricted views when sitting. Also, ticket prices are not based on seating view which means you could pay full platinum price and end up with a restricted seat, so you should always check before you purchase your tickets.
How do I get to Loftus Road?
Getting there is fairly simple because there are a lot of public transport links. While you can drive and park, the spaces can be limited and getting out of town afterwards can mean a lot of traffic and going through the busy city center (not to mention the congestion charge). Those staying in the city center can jump on the central line on the underground to White City which is the nearest tube station and only a 5 minute walk to the stadium.For those travelling nationally or regionally on the train service you need to look at getting to Clapham Junction or Shepherd's Bush (which is the closest to the stadium) and then you can opt to walk or get the tube (see above).If you prefer to get the bus there are several options from around London that take you to White City tube station and these are the number 220, 72 or 95. A daily travelcard from inside London that will take you on the underground and overground will cost you about £12-£15 although it will cost more if you are coming into London. Black taxis can also be hailed on the day although these are more expensive than pre-booking.
Best Insider tip at Loftus Road?
If you want to drive up to Loftus road but want to avoid the car carnage of trying to exit the stadium post-match, there are many people who sell their parking space for the day between £8 - £20 where you can park 10-15 minutes away and then walk to the stadium from there. When the match is over, go to your car and you are straight on the roads and avoid all the traffic. You can find these spaces online by searching parking near Loftus road.