Falmer Stadium

Falmer Stadium – the home of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. However, it’s known as The American Express Community Stadium in consequence of sponsorship deals. It’s also known as The Amex as an abbreviation for simplicity! Its location is next to the village of Falmer, which is where it got its initial name from.

General information

Official website: http://www.amexstadium.co.uk/

Arena capacity: 30,750 spectators

Address: Village Way, Brighton BN1 9BL, UK

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 50.8616° N, 0.0837° W

Year of construction: Falmer Stadium was built in December 2008, the official opening was in July 2011.

Construction cost: 93 million pounds

Field: grass lawn with dimensions of 105 m × 69 m (344 ft × 226 ft)

History and description

The Amex was officially opened on the 30th of July 2011 with a friendly game of Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur (2-3).

Brighton had been planning the building of a new arena after former chairman Bill Archer had sold their Goldstone Ground to real estate developers.

When Brighton became unhoused they first ground-shared with Gillingham for two seasons, and then moved to the Withdean Stadium, an athletics ground in Brighton that, although it was modernized, lacked the upgraded facilities for League football.

In the end it took Brighton until 2007 to get planning permission due to various legal issues. Construction works afterwards started in 2008 and in 2010 the club confirmed a naming rights sponsorship agreement with American Express.

The Amex was planned to provide for an easy capacity increase to 30,000 seats, and already in December 2011 the club began designing for expansion.

Brighton got designing permission in the beginning of 2012 and additional 5,000 seats were added before the start of the 2012-13 season by building a second level on the East Stand and closing the corners of the South Sand. Brighton added extra 3,000 seats in the beginning of 2013 to increase capacity to 30,500 seats.

Seating plan of the Falmer Stadium

After leaving the the Goldstone Ground 1997, which had been the Club’s home since 1902, Brighton have struggled to find a new permanent home, first ground sharing at Gillingham for two seasons, before returning to the South Coast in 1999, to take up temporary residence at the Withdean Athletics Stadium. After a long drawn out battle, the Club finally prevailed receiving planning permission in July 2007 for a new stadium at Falmer, on the outskirts of Brighton. At a cost of £93m the new American Express Community Stadium as it has been named, has been well worth waiting for; adding a spectacular sight to the Sussex landscape.

From a far the semi circular roofs of the stand and the tubular supporting steelwork above them, are at first glance reminiscent of the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield. But on closer inspection the similarity ends as this is a far superior ground, which inside is reminiscent of the KC Stadium in Hull. On one side is the impressive looking West Stand. This three tiered stand, has a large lower tier, a small middle tier and a medium sized upper tier.

The seating in the upper tier follows the semi circular design of the stand, giving it an interesting effect. The team dugouts are located on this side, as well as an open press area, which is conveniently situated above the players tunnel on the half way line. Opposite is the smaller East Stand. This two-tiered stand had its upper tier added in the Summer of 2012. The gap in-between the two tiers is occupied by the Clubs’ administrative offices.

Both ends are also small single tiers of seating, and have an electric scoreboard to the rear. One of these ends, the South Stand, has a hospitality area containing a number of executive boxes, which is situated above the seated area. The roofs over both ends slope down from the larger West Stand on one side to the East Stand opposite, giving the ground a different look.

Apparently though, this is so the stadium fits in with the rolling South Downs landscape. The stadium is totally enclosed with all the corners now filled with seating (these were added during the 2012/13 season). One nice touch though, is rather than having lettering displayed on the seating, images of seagulls are included instead. What the makes the ground particularly striking is the amount of transparent material used in the roofs of the stadium, apart from the supporting framework there is not a solid panel in sight.

Away fans

Away fans are housed in the South East corner of the stadium. This area not only includes the corner section but also part of the East & South Stands lower tiers. Around 3,300 fans can be accommodated in this area. It is worth noting that the Club charge away fans more for sitting in the East Stand rather than the South Stand or South East corner.

As you would expect from a new stadium, the view of the playing action and leg room are both good. Plus the added bonus of padded seats is a rare ‘luxury’. Food available inside the stadium include handmade Pies from Piglets Pantry in Shoreham-on-sea, which are baked on-site. You can choose from Steak & Harveys Ale with mushrooms, Chicken & Ham with leek and Vegetarian butternut squash with spicy tomato.

However, it will cost you £4.20 for the privilege making them the most expensive pies in the league. Also on offer are Cheeseburgers (£4.70), Burgers (£4.60) and Hot Dogs (£4.20). The Amex Stadium is an excellent venue, very nicely set in the countryside. The concourse is extraordinarily wide and spacious for such a small stadium. Comfy cushioned seats, excellent view, plenty of leg room, great pitch and the best acoustics of any stadium. The home fans singing was deafening, all down to the acoustic effect of the stadium design.

Ticket Offices

Tickets for Brighton matches can be bought online, by phone +44 (0) 844 327 1901, or at the Ticket Office at The Amex.

Tickets are also sold at the stadium on the day of the match. Brighton’s attendances are among the highest in the Championship and they do sell out the odd match, but for most matches tickets will be available.

Home Fans

1. West Stand (Lower Tier Centre): Adults £60 (B £50) (C £45), No concessions.
2. West Stand (Lower Tier Wings): Adults £55 (B £45) (C £40), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £42 (B £35), (C £30), Under 18’s £30 (B £25) (C £20).
3. West Stand (Lower Tier Outer Wings): Adults £50 (B £40) (C £35), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £38 (B £30), (C £26), Under 18’s £28 (B £20) (C £18).
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4. West Stand (Upper Tier Centre): Adults £50 (B £40) (C £35), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £38 (B £30), (C £26), Under 18’s £28 (B £20) (C £18).
5. West Stand (Upper Tier Wings): Adults £45 (B £35) (C £25), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £35 (B £26), (C £23), Under 18’s £25 (B £18) (C £15).
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6. East Stand (Lower Tier Centre): Adults £55 (B £45) (C £40), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £42 (B £35), (C £30), Under 18’s £30 (B £25) (C £20).
7. East Stand (Upper Tier): Adults £55 (B £45) (C £40), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £42 (B £35), (C £30), Under 18’s £30 (B £25) (C £20).
8. North & South Stand: Adults £45 (B £35) (C £25), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £35 (B £26), (C £23), Under 18’s £25 (B £18) (C £15).
9. Family Areas including East Stand (Lower Tier Wing): Adults £45 (B £35) (C £30), Over 65’s/Under 21’s £35 (B £26), (C £23), Under 18’s £25 (B £18) (C £15).
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Away Fans

As per an agreement with all Premier League Clubs, away fans will be charged a maximum price of those shown below for all League games:

• Adults £30;
• Over 65’s £23;
• Under 21’s £23;
• Under 18’s £15.

How to get there?

To Amex Stadium is located at Falmer on the outskirts of Brighton, very close to the University of Sussex.

At the end of the M23, continue onto the A23, heading towards Brighton. At the roundabout which is the junction with the A27, take the A27 towards Lewes. After around four miles you will see the stadium on your right hand side. Leave at the A27 and take the slip road sign posted Falmer (B2123). At the top of the slip road turn right crossing back over the A27 and the entrance to the stadium is down on the right.

There is no parking available for away fans at the stadium itself, but coaches and minibuses will be allowed to park there providing that they have been pre-booked with the Club. Please note that there is a large no parking zone in force around the area of the stadium on matchdays. There is also Bridge Car Park (off the A27, opposite Stanmer Park) where vehicle access/egress is via a small tunnel under the railway line.

From the car park, which seemed to be a part of the University/Community Centre complex, it is a ten minute stroll to the Amex. However, it was anything but a quick getaway after the game and we were charged an ‘eye-watering’ £15 to park there!’ There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Amex Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Train

The nearest railway station is Falmer, which is situated right by the stadium. The quickest and easiest way to get to the stadium though is by train. Falmer station is adjacent to the ground. It’s three stops from Brighton central station on the line to Lewes and Seaford. Alternatively, you can avoid Brighton completely by getting a train to Lewes and changing there for Falmer. There are four trains an hour in either direction.

Brighton Central Railway Station is over four miles away from the stadium. So either get a train, taxi or bus up to the stadium. Brighton & Hove Bus No 25 can be caught from Cardinal Square stop G (Route and timetable on the Brighton & Hove Bus Company website, which shows bus stops) operates a regular service (every 12 minutes) up to the stadium from Central Brighton, as do Bus Numbers 28 & 29. Journey time is around 20 minutes. On return the No 25 leaves from the stadium via a stop through the coach park, near to the away fans entrance.

The Club have a scheme whereby travel to the stadium by public transport within a geographical zone is free as it is included within the price of your match ticket. Valid on both buses and trains, just simply show your match ticket or booking form (if collecting your tickets from the Stadium ticket office). The zone extends as far north as Haywards Heath station and east to Lewes. So fans travelling from London for instance only need a train ticket to Haywards Heath.

All generally organised okay but you can experience a frustrating wait and a waste of time. Trains jammed back to Brighton. Thankfully no trouble but potential for trouble after needle game is multiplied by the time it takes to get in and out the ground. Alternatively you could consider parking/staying in the pleasant town of Lewes and getting a train from there to the stadium.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the Trainline website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets.

Bus

From central Brighton, the Amex is well served by buses that drop off and pick up on both university campuses. Buses 23, 25X, 28 and 29 all go to Falmer from stops outside the Royal Pavilion and Churchill Square. There was plenty of controversy when bus lanes were installed on Lewes Road as in rush hour it now makes the M25 look like the Nurburgring, but one positive of that decision is that if you do catch the bus you can get to the stadium quickly while avoiding either commuter or football traffic.

All Brighton and Hove buses are free with a match ticket meaning you can travel from as far as Tunbridge Wells in Kent without paying. Stagecoach’s 700 and N700 along the coast from Worthing are also free.

Park and Ride

The Club are encouraging fans to use the Park & Ride services located at three different locations; Mill Road (BN1 8ZF), Brighton Racecourse (BN2 9XZ) and Mithras House at Brighton University (BN2 4AT). Probably the easiest for away fans to locate is Mill Road, as it is just off the A23/A27 junction.

However, this is by far the busiest of the three, so if you have time on your hands consider using one of the other alternatives such as Brighton Racecourse or Mithras House both of which are quieter. The capacity of Mill Road is 500 cars. The road is located next to a BP garage, which (if coming down from London) you will see over on your right at the top of the slip road off the A23.

The last buses return from the stadium 90 minutes after the end of the game. The cost of the Park & Ride is included in the price of your match ticket. So just show your match ticket or proof of ticket booking (if collecting your match tickets from the ticket office at the stadium). Please note that vehicles must removed no later than two hours after the game has ended.

Mill Road isn’t a car park as such, but a normal road that is closed for this purpose. The Park and Ride is well-organised both ways. Going in, you park parallel in the next slot and it is easy to drive in. Buses and cars leave the road at the other end so it is completely one-way and simple. The road is divided into zones (A-E). Coming back after the game, it was well run by the stewards with only a 10 minute wait for a bus. The bus stops at all the zones so you end up close enough to your car.

Taxi

There are plenty of taxis around Brighton and Hove and the journey from central Brighton should weigh in at under a tenner. Alternatively, the city recently moved into the 21st century and so you can take an Uber, providing you are happy with the possible risk of going via Southampton or getting raped.

Car Parking

There is minimal parking at the Amex and if you do choose that option, it will cost you. This has to be booked in advance and will extract 15 from your person. The parking sites are the Bridge Car Park (not named after former Albion left back Wayne and his hot wife Frankie unfortunately) which is a 10 minute walk away at the bottom of the University of Brighton Campus, the University of Sussex the other side of the A27 from the stadium and Bennett’s Field behind the East Stand.

Pedestrians and public transport always take priority over private cars and so you can expect to face a long wait to get out after a game. There is no on street parking around the stadium with the permit holders only zone stretching out around three miles into the city from the Amex.

Bicycle & Walking

If you are healthy or have too much time on your hands, then you can either cycle or walk to the Amex. The journey is relatively straightforward, you just head straight up the Lewes Road. There are cycle lanes in both directions which should reduce the chances of you getting mown down and there are multiple bicycle racks at the stadium.

For those who fancy a walk, it takes around an hour from central Brighton. It used to be quite pleasant on an August day as there were a number of pubs on route to stop in for replenishment, but only The Bear and The Gladstone remain after the closing down of The Lectern and The Dugout. Once you pass the University of Brighton, it can be a dreary walk through the edges of Moulsecoomb, one of the least attractive parts of the city but hey, think of all the calories you are burning.

Facilities

The facilities at The Amex are excellent, with padded seats, excellent views and good legroom on offer for all supporters within the stadium. The concourses behind the scenes are large and welcoming, with numerous stalls offering food and drink options before the match and at half-time. For those that care about such things there are also tremendous acoustics within the ground, meaning that there can be quite an atmosphere during matches that the supporters get ‘up’ for.

Hospitality

Nominated in four different categories in the 2015 Stadium Events and Hospitality awards, it’s safe to say you’ll get a brilliant experience if you choose to take advantage of one of the hospitality packages available at The Amex. The stadium boasts ten lounges as well as 21 executive boxes, so your options are numerous should you wish to watch the match from a position of comfort and luxury.

Lounges typically open about two and a half hours before the game is due to kick off and they close at 11pm. There are different menus available depending on which lounge you have tickets for and what type of hospitality package you have selected. In the East and South lounges you will typically be offered ‘pub’ style food of burgers, ribs, curry or a vegetarian selection. Hospitality at The Amex comes under the name of The 1901 Club, so this is what you’ll be looking for it you want to seek out some more specific information.

Falmer Stadium Hotels

Brighton is a relatively famous seaside town, so there are a number of good hotel or Bed & Breakfast options available to you. We’ve picked out some of our favourites here, though:

1. The Downs Hotel – £65+. Address: Warren Road, Woodingdean, BN2 6BB. Located in Woodingdean, about one and a half miles from the stadium, this hotel sits above a restaurant-cum-bar and has a garden, barbecue grills and a picnic area. There’s also free Wi-Fi in the reception area, free parking and a free breakfast included with your stay.
2. Jurys Inn Brighton – £90+. Address: 101 Stroudley Road, Brighton, BN1 4DJ. Brighton’s Jurys Inn can be found about a mile from the beach and a little over three miles from The Amex. It’s got over 200 rooms, a restaurant and bar, nine meeting rooms and a conference space. There’s also free Wi-Fi and multilingual staff for those of you coming from abroad or who just like to test your GCSE French on an unsuspecting hotelier.
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3. Sea Breeze Brighton – £145+. Address: 13, Upper Rock Gardens, Brighton, BN2 1QE. Three and a half miles from Brighton & Hove Albion’s home ground and within walking distance of the city’s Sea Life Centre is this charming guest house. With just seven rooms, free wi-fi and free breakfast you know you’ll get a very personal experience if you choose to spend your pre-match night here.

Just as the nearby sea front means there are plenty of hotels to choose from in Brighton, so there are also a huge amount of bars and pubs for your consideration. We’ve tried to pick some that are particularly welcoming to sports fans for you here.

Pubs and bars near Falmer Stadium

There is not much in the immediate vicinity around the stadium. There is one pub called the Swan Inn located on Middle Street in Falmer, which is about 15 minute walk away, but for most fixtures this is for home fans only. Alcohol is served within the ground in the form of Harveys real ale (£4.30), Fosters (£4.20), White or Red Wine (£4.20).

Harveys have also produced a special ‘Albion’ bottles beer which is only available at the stadium or from the Harveys shop in Lewes. 5p from every bottle sold will be donated to the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.

Outside Brighton Mainline Station there are a number of excellent pubs. The Evening Star, on Surrey Street are recommended. It is away fan friendly and only two a minute walk away from the station. It is in the CAMRA good beer guide and serves real Sussex ale and cider.

If arriving at the Mill Road Park & Ride then a little further on down London Road (A23) on the left is the Black Lion pub which is a Harvester outlet.

After the game the bars at the ground remain open. The North Stand stays open to 8pm on a Saturday. So if you want to avoid the queues at the railway station then stay at the ground for a beer and watch the late kick off game on the television screens. They also display the departing train times on screen too, so you know when to leave.

There is Downs Hotel in Woodingdean, on the Falmer Road (B2123) at the Warren Road junction. The Hotel has a bar and is about two miles away. They offer free parking at the hotel and they do a shuttle run (two minibuses) every 15 minutes between 1.30pm and 2.30pm, the cost is £4 return for adults and £2 for children.

Also just off the A23 around a ten minute drive from the stadium is the Plough Inn on London Road, Pyecombe, (BN45 7FN). There is street parking available close by, which is popular with Brighton fans who then can catch a bus to the stadium. The pub is signposted off the A23.

The Swan is a good 15 minute walk from the stadium. However they have security on the door and you have to show home section match tickets to gain access.