Newcastle United

Emailed the club for a disabled parking bay when we purchased our tickets, they replied very swiftly asking for a contact number and as promised in their reply they rang on the Monday prior to the game the following Saturday, and as the same as last year we got a disabled parking bay number which is located behind the away end. The ground is very easy to find. The parking bays are very, very narrow and after the match I had to wait for the car beside us to go before I could get into ours as space so narrow. Stewards very friendly an informative, lift to seats in quite small, the players look about an inch high due to the very elevated position of the away fans. No drop counter for wheelchair users to get a drink, disabled toilet doors need to open outwards as not much room to move around in a wheelchair, good job I had my husband with me to help me with the door, even the steward said “the door needs looking at an moving the other way round. All in all I enjoy our visits to St James’s Park.

I attended this match as an away fan. St James’ Park in a short walk from Newcastle railway station but it’s uphill which may be a problem for some disabled supporters. Access for wheelchair and other mobility impaired fans to the away area is by lift. It’s at nosebleed altitude. The view for wheelchair fans is good but there is partial obstruction if supporters stand in front of the wheelchair platforms.

The stewards were all helpful and efficient. I didn’t sample the catering after looking at the larcenous prices.

Saturday 13th August my husband and I visited St James’s Park, I had rung the ground the previous week and asked for a disabled parking bay, my number was taken and put on a list and told I’d be contacted the day prior to the match, but I was rung back the day after with an offer of a parking bay, this bay was directly behind the stand where the away fans are situated which was fantastic, so easy to locate and just as easy to get in and out of.

The ground is very easy to find so ae the disabled parking bays. The view is very good albeit very high up, but there is a lift, it’s only small, nut very quick.

The stewards were ever so friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble for them, we had been before, but not in the car plus it was a evening game. This is one of the nicest grounds within the Championship, it helped that we took all three points.

One of the best stadiums for wheelchair access.

Booked a disabled car parking space, right next to the ground. View from the away supporters disabled section is brilliant, even though you’re very high up and the players look small. Access to concourseis great as not always a choice for disabled fansat other stadiums. Plenty of disabled toiletscan be accessed near the entrance to theseats.

Overall, a good experience at St James Park. Will visit again no doubt.

Easily one of the best away trips on my calendar. View is first class (very high up) a great position to see all the link-up play. Can’t comment on parking as we got the official supporters coach. Sat with your own fans which is top. Although the mighty reds got hammered 3-0 and it was freezing and rainy/snowy. One of the best grounds to visit in the Premier League.

The coaches park opposite St James’ Park, getting to the stadium is a little tricky as it’s up a very steep hill, so I need assistance pushing from my brother and exiting is difficult to because going down slopes with lots of other fans exiting the same way is quite difficult but apart from that, never had any other problems at St James’

There was plenty of stewards on hand telling me where the lift was located, once I found that, a steward took us up to level 7 (not a good ground to go if you don’t like heights!) and showed us to the concourse level. Disabled toilets have a RADAR key, the doors are quite heavy though. Access to the food kiosk is relatively easy and there is a lot of space on the concourses to be able to meet up with fans without causing an obstruction etc.

The view from the away end is easily the best view I’ve seen. It is very high, but you can see everything, all the build up play, everything. You are also seated with the rest of the away fans.

The only slight downside is waiting for the lift on the way out, it sometimes stops on the levels below and gets filled up before coming up to level 7, so can take several minutes to exit the ground.

Newcastle will always be my favourite away trip in the league.

Arrive in plenty of time as parking is attrocious, I sent numerous e-mails requesting a parking space, I also spoke to the disabled liaison officer and did everything he asked me. I telephoned him a couple of weeks before the game to make sure everything was in order and left a message for him to ring me back, he did nto do this, I sent more e-mails to which I received no reply. When I arrived and finally spotted a steward I asked him where the disabled parking was, he asked if I had a pass. I told him I had requested one but not received one, I showed him my blue badge. He directed me to the car parks and told me to see the steward on the car park. I did this and showed him my disabled badge. He sent me up to the 3rd floor of the multi-storey. I had to send my nephew down to see which bay I had to park in. He came back to tell me I had to go back down and park on the surface car park. I started to go down only to be met by another steward walking up the ramp who asked me to reverse all the way back up. I explained that I was in a wheelchair and that it would not be possible to reverse back up. He eventually let me on the surface car park. I eventually got in the ground just in time to see the players coming out for the start of the game. I e-mailed the club to complain and enclosed a copy of all the e-mails I sent. They passed them on to the disabled liaison officer to respond. I requested a response within 14 days, I am still awaiting a reply. When I finally got in, the view was good.

Cannot remember the opposition but was a WC Qualifier where the FA toured England while Wembley was delayed. Parking is non existant near ground. Steep paths, not many dropped kerbs. Stewards had no idea where seats were. Disabled seat I had was behind the goal so view was pretty poor, but was in with fans…

First visit to the new stadium, as a Disabled Wheelchair Supporter. Stadium easy to find, I was not able to park at stadium all spces allocated, but plent of parking nearby in either accessible bays or free for disabled people in pay and display near stadium. Difficult to find disabled fans access point as gate access details on ticket refer to inside stadium, but thanks to helpful/friendly stewards we found it no problem. Clean toilets makes a change, viewing galleries excellent but if you have vertigo beware, access to top tier via a lift with helpful stewards again. All in all a nice experience. I would urge other stadium managers to look at here and pick up some points I would give it 8/10 so not far from perfect.