Burton Albion

[Response from Burton Albion to the comment below]

Dear Supporter

We take all customer feedback seriously here at Burton Albion Football Club, and would like to thank you for your positive comments. We are sorry to hear that you experienced difficulties on your arrival at the stadium, and please be assured that we will be looking into how we can improve our drop off and pick up point for away supporters with powerchair and wheelchair requirements getting in and out of our ground. All our Stewards are fully trained and in addition are briefed regarding disabled access before each game, and we will be making sure that your feedback is brought to their attention to make sure everyone who visits the Pirelli Stadium has an enjoyable experience. We wish you and your team all the best for the rest of the season.

Kind Regards
Jodie Carter
Supporter Liaison Officer
Burton Albion Football Club

This was our first visit as away fans to Burton Albion’s ground. I am a powerchair user and my husband is severely visually impaired. We travelled in a wheelchair accessible mini-bus which is part of our Club’s official away travel.

Getting into the Ground
This was the first time in the 60+ stadiums we have visited that our mini-bus was told to unload us in the public service bus stop outside the ground. The bus stop did not have a dropped kerb, so our driver had to reverse in at an angle to get the lift down onto the pavement. Given this was a bus stop on a busy road in darkness, this was not the easiest manoeuvre. I could not understand why our mini bus was not allowed to enter the stadium car park to at least drop us off (it wasn’t as if the car park was busy, it was one of the quietest we had ever been to). Not sure how we would have fared if the local service bus had wanted the stop at the same time. When we entered the stadium car park there was no one around to ask where we should go. Thankfully when we did meet a home fan, they were very helpful and directed us. When we got to where they directed us to go, (sharp left round the front of the stadium) the first steward who we saw and asked were we right for away wheelchair users, told us he did not know! Come on, surely we are not that unusual! He did go off to find out, came back and let us in. Good to see that even at a small ground with a small crowd, our bags were thoroughly searched before we were allowed in.

Viewing Area
You entered into the covered area at the back of the stand and access to the viewing area was at the opposite end. The viewing area for away wheelchair fans was to the left, at pitch level in front of home fans (the away fans were sat to the right). It was so close to the away dug out that we could here every word our Manager shouted throughout the game in a way that we never have at any other ground. We got a good unobstructed view of the match with plenty of room and adjacent carer seats. Stewards were very friendly and asked us to let them know if we had any problems or they could help us in any way. It was a dry evening, so not sure how wet we might have got in rain.

Accessible Toilet
As you re-entered the underneath part of the stand the accessible loo was on the right. Radar lock. Clean and warm, good size with hot water, handwash and drier.

Refreshments
Available from the back of the stand. We had sausage rolls that were £1.50 each which we thought were excellent value.

Overall
We had a good evening and would return without hesitation, particularly now we have got to grips with the bus stop drop off and where to go when you enter the car park.

Everything was much the same as my last report.

Pre booked a carparking space – £2 and bought a ticket over the phone.

The car park steward told us our numbered car park space, and we easily found this.

Stewards were all helpful and friendly, and said just to call them if we needed anything.

They even overlooked a ball boy in front of us hiding a match ball in his bag under the advertising hoardings, they just said it happens all the time.A very friendly club

Burton Albion Football Club ensures that all supporters both home and away enjoy a pleasant friendly atmosphere when visiting the Pirelli Stadium.

The club prides itself on providing a family-friendly atmosphere that all supporters can enjoy, with facilities to cater for all supporters’ needs.

We called for a prematch meal at the Millhouse close to the ground. A wheelchair friendly pub & 2 meals for a tenner, excellent value. We had pre booked a parking space at the ground with no problems. We were situated pitchside infront of our own supporters & had a good view of the whole pitch, though not all the wheelchair spaces could see the whole pitch without moving forward. There were accessible toilets close to where we were sitting. We didn’t visit the teabar as we had brought our own drinks. The stewards were all very friendly & helpful.