| Contents |
What's Gigg Lane
Like?
Main
Stand and Manchester Road End (photo)
What Is It Like For
Visiting Supporters?
Les
Hart Stand and Cemetery End (photo)
Where To Drink?
A
Closer Look At The Manchester Road End (photo)
How To Get There
BY Car & Where To Park
By Train/Metro
Main Stand and Cemetery End
(photo)
Admission
Prices
Programme Price
Ground Layout
Local Rivals
Disabled Facilities
Fixtures 2012-2013
Record & Average Attendance
Fans Ground Reviews
Hotel
Accommodation
Gigg Lane
Location Map
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| What's Gigg Lane
Like? |
The
ground was completely re-built in the 1990's with the
Cemetery End being the last stand to be completed in
1999. The new stands which are all covered, have
vastly improved the overall look of the ground, whilst
at the same time making it an all seated one. The only
real disappointment is three of the stands contain a
number of supporting pillars. On one side is the Main
Stand. This all seated stand has its spectators area
raised up above pitch level meaning that supporters
have to climb a small set of steps to enter it. Part
of the front has a small box like structure, with a
number of windows running along the front. It
particularly caught my eye, as with the windows being
almost at pitch level, I wondered just how many broken
windows they get each season? Oddly the players tunnel
and team dugouts are set to one side of the half way
line, suggesting that at some point the pitch has been
moved from its original position.
Opposite is the Les Hart Stand, a single tiered affair
which extends around to meet the Cemetery End,
enclosing that corner of the stadium. In this corner
there is a small Police control box suspended beneath
the roof plus an electronic scoreboard. The Les Hart
Stand also has a small TV gantry, plus there are a
number of supporting pillars running across the stand
that may impede your view.
The Manchester Road Stand at one end is of a fair
size. However it does not run the full width of the
pitch, with one side ending with the edge of the
penalty box. There is also an electric scoreboard at
this end. The stadium is completed with a set of
modern looking floodlights. Jeff Johnson informs me;
'Le Stade de Gigg’ as the locals call it, is also
shared with FC United of Manchester.'
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Main Stand and Manchester
Road End
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| What Is It Like For
Visiting Supporters? |
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Away fans are housed
in the Manchester Road End where just over 2,000
away supporters can be accommodated. Normally
fans enjoy a good view of the action. However,
there is a row of supporting pillars about a
third of the way up the stand, which could cause
problems if your team has a large following. The
stand is also situated quite well back from the
pitch and is slightly below pitch level. The catering
is quite good, with a range of burgers, hot dogs (£2.60)
and Pies including the Chicken Balti Pie (£2.60). My only grumble was the archaic
looking toilets in this relatively modern stand.
On the whole, however, it was a relaxed and
normally a good day out, although sometimes
lacking in atmosphere.
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Les Hart Stand and
Cemetery End
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| Where To Drink? |
There
are a few pubs around the ground and along
Manchester Road in particular. There is also a
supporters club at the ground, which sometimes allows
in small numbers of away fans, for
a small fee (£1). Geoff Blanthorne a visiting Tranmere
Rovers fan adds; 'The
Bury set-up is a very friendly one, with a nice supporters club where I enjoyed a
pre-match drink together with a reasonably priced
lunch whilst watching the early match on a big screen.'
My pick of the pubs on Manchester Road, is the Swan
& Cemetery, around a ten minute walk from the
ground. This Thwaites pub, is quite comfortable,
serves good hand pulled beer and has a separate
restaurant area. Nearer to the ground is the
Staff Of Life pub, which is a basic pub serving
hand pulled Lee's. Also recommended on Manchester
Road, is the Waterloo, nearer to the town centre.
Neil Le Milliere a
visiting Exeter City supporter recommends the Rose
& Crown on Manchester Old Road. 'It's not the
biggest pub but it was very friendly; served a
variety of real ales and is only a ten minute walk
away from the ground.'
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A Closer Look At the Manchester Road End
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| How To Get There
And Where To Park |
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Leave the M66 at
Junction 3. Take the left hand exit at the junction
and follow this road until you come to the junction
with the A56 Manchester Road. At this T-junction
which has traffic lights, turn right towards Bury.
You will pass the Swan & Cemetery pub on your
left and then some playing fields. At the end of the
playing fields just before the traffic lights and a
couple of pubs, turn right into Gigg Lane for the
ground. However please note that Gigg Lane is
normally closed on match days and the ground itself
is not easily seen from the A56. Street parking,
although beware of a residents only parking scheme
in operation in the nearby streets, which operates
on both matchdays end evenings, with wardens
patrolling the area.
Adam Hodson provides some
alternative directions from Junction 2 of the M66,
from where the ground is signposted; 'Take the A58 towards Bury
and at the second set of traffic Lights, turn left onto Heywood Street (B6219). Go Straight over a mini roundabout
and at the next roundabout,
turn right onto
Wellington Road (still the
B6219). Follow this road to the end, where
you will come to a T-junction. Turn left
onto the A56 (sign posted Manchester). After passing through a set of traffic lights,
turn Left into Gigg Lane for the ground'.
Map
showing the location of the Gigg Lane
football ground (at the bottom of this
page).
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| By
Train/Metro |
There is no railway station in
Bury itself, so most fans travelling by train are
likely to end up at one of the Manchester stations.
Bury Metrolink is served by trams from Manchester
Victoria & Piccadilly railway stations. Bury
Metrolink Station is about a 15 minute walk from the
ground. Turn left out of station along a pedestrian
walkway going underneath the dual carriageway. On the
other side of the dual carriageway turn right towards
the Town Hall. Just before the Town Hall. Then left
into Knowsley Street and at the bottom, turn left
again onto the main A56 Manchester Road. It is then a
case of going straight along Manchester Road for about
half a mile and you will reach Gigg Lane on your left.
Thanks to Andy Grainger for supplying the directions.
Jon Hall adds; 'Alternatively bus numbers;
90, 92, 135 and 137 run every ten minutes
down Manchester Road past the end of Gigg Lane'.
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| Main Stand and
Cemetery End |
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| Admission
Prices |
Like a number of Clubs, Bury operate a
category scheme (A, B & C) for matches, whereby the most
popular games cost more to watch. Category A prices are shown below with
Category B & C prices shown in brackets:
Home Fans:
Main & Les Hart
(South) Stands:
Adults £21
(B £20)
(C £19),
Under 21's £15 (B
£14) (C £13),
Concessions £12 (B
£11) (C £10)
Cemetery End:
Adults £19 (B
£18) (C £17), Under
21's £15 (B
£14) (C
£13), Concessions £12 (B £11) (C
£10)
All areas: Family Ticket (1 Adult + 1 Child)
£20 (B £19)
(C £18),
Additional child £7 (B
£6) (C £5)
Away Fans:
Manchester
Road (West) Stand:
Adults £19 (B £18) (C
£17), Under
21's £15 (B
£14) (C £13),
Concessions £12 (B
£11) (C £10)
Family Ticket (1 Adult +
1 Child) £20
(B £19) (C
£18), Additional child
£7 (B
£6) (C
£5)
Concessions apply to Under
16's, Over 65's, disabled and the unemployed.
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Programme
Price
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Official
Programme: £3
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Ground
Layout
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| Local Rivals |
| Bolton
Wanderers & Rochdale.
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| Disabled
Facilities |
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details of disabled facilities and club contact at the
ground please visit the relevant page on the Level
Playing Field website.
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| Fixtures 2012-2013 |
| Bury FC fixture list (takes
you to the BBC Sports
Website)
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| Record & Average
Attendance |
35,000
v Bolton Wanderers,
FA Cup 3rd Round, January 9th, 1960.
Modern All Seated Attendance
Record:
9,115 v Burnley,
December 26th 1999
Average Attendance:
2011-2012: 3,552 (League One)
2010-2011: 3.313 (League Two)
2009-2010: 3,029 (League Two)
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| Fans Reviews Of Gigg Lane |
Tony
Skinner (Sheffield United) 14/1/12
Teresa Jewell
(Sheffield Wednesday) 16/8/11
Dan Brennan
(Sheffield Wednesday) 16/8/11
Dane Yates
(Manchester United) 22/1/08
Robert Allen (Chester
City) 15/9/07
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| Hotel
Accommodation |
If you require hotel
accommodation in the area then first try a hotel
booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all
types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets
from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast
establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced
Apartments. Plus their booking system is
straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will
earn a small commission if you book through them, but
it will go to help with the running costs of keeping
the Guide going. The Hotels listing also includes
details of how far away the accommodation is located
from the Gigg Lane football ground.
Access
their Bury
Hotels and Guest Houses page.
Remember that you can use the above link or panel
below to book any other hotels that you may need
for business or leisure, either in the UK or
abroad.
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| Map showing
the location of the Gigg Lane football
ground, Metrolink station and listed pubs |
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Instructions for using
the map:
- Use the bar on the left of the map to zoom in /
out using the + / - keys.
- Click and drag an area of the map to move around
or use the up/down, left/right arrows
- Click the Satellite button to see aerial view
photograph.
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| Feedback |
If
anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail duncan@footballgrounds.net
and I'll update the guide.
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