Coxford Letting & Management: In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm
There are about three things that will bring traffic in Southampton to a halt - More than two Criuse Liners in port, West Quay on a very busy day, and Southampton Football Club playing at home.
Out of all these things, the only one that really worries me most is Southampton Football Club playing at home. Cruises and Shopping is easy to avoid, as it only really affects West Quay Road, but the football affects every road around the St Mary's Stadium, and roads for miles around.
And yesteryday was no exception, although I did forget to update my diary beforehand to remind me. It wasn't the roads close to the stadium, but Westwood Road in Highfield. Any other Saturday, and there would be tons of spaces available, but yesterday, every single one was taken. Which didn't help me much, as I had an appointment down there at 1pm. It just didn't figure to me that loads of people would want to park that far away from the stadium.
Based on previous experience, I always avoid the centre of Southampton on match days, about an hour before kick off and an hour after the final whisle. It's not for safety reasons that I do this, but more because the roads and pavements are just over crowded with fans - it just makes more sense.
But for those two brief hours between time, the centre of Southampton becomes very weird, with the centre just waiting for the final whisle to go, so that the traffic and crowds can start up again. It really is like being stuck in the eye of the storm.
Yesterdays match against Millwall brought back a memory from twenty odd years ago - back in the day when Southampton was still in the top flight. At the time, I was working weekends in a pub in Brockenhurst, and Millwall were playing against Bournemouth. With a great many Millwall fans travelling back by train, and not being allowed in any pubs in Bournemouth, some had the intention of getting off at Brockenhurst (still the first port of call of the express train from Bournemouth). Hampshire Police were ready for them, having asked us to lock up the pub, outside the station entrance. We watched from one of the upstairs rooms, overlooking the station, as those that didn't get back on the train, were thrown into the back of one of the several paddy wagons waiting - not many were impressed, and a couple of wagons were being thrown side to side as they left the station.
Out of all these things, the only one that really worries me most is Southampton Football Club playing at home. Cruises and Shopping is easy to avoid, as it only really affects West Quay Road, but the football affects every road around the St Mary's Stadium, and roads for miles around.
And yesteryday was no exception, although I did forget to update my diary beforehand to remind me. It wasn't the roads close to the stadium, but Westwood Road in Highfield. Any other Saturday, and there would be tons of spaces available, but yesterday, every single one was taken. Which didn't help me much, as I had an appointment down there at 1pm. It just didn't figure to me that loads of people would want to park that far away from the stadium.
Based on previous experience, I always avoid the centre of Southampton on match days, about an hour before kick off and an hour after the final whisle. It's not for safety reasons that I do this, but more because the roads and pavements are just over crowded with fans - it just makes more sense.
But for those two brief hours between time, the centre of Southampton becomes very weird, with the centre just waiting for the final whisle to go, so that the traffic and crowds can start up again. It really is like being stuck in the eye of the storm.
Yesterdays match against Millwall brought back a memory from twenty odd years ago - back in the day when Southampton was still in the top flight. At the time, I was working weekends in a pub in Brockenhurst, and Millwall were playing against Bournemouth. With a great many Millwall fans travelling back by train, and not being allowed in any pubs in Bournemouth, some had the intention of getting off at Brockenhurst (still the first port of call of the express train from Bournemouth). Hampshire Police were ready for them, having asked us to lock up the pub, outside the station entrance. We watched from one of the upstairs rooms, overlooking the station, as those that didn't get back on the train, were thrown into the back of one of the several paddy wagons waiting - not many were impressed, and a couple of wagons were being thrown side to side as they left the station.