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| 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 2011-2012 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 last 'new' stand, the
Cemetery End, completed
in 1999. The new stands have vastly improved
the overall look of the ground, whilst at the
same time making it an all seated one. The Manchester Road End
is a fair sized stand that is covered, however
it does not run the full width of the pitch,
one side ending with the edge of the penalty
box. Opposite is the
Cemetery End, another covered all seated stand. This
stand extends around one corner to
the Les Hart Stand and looks quite
smart and is complete with an electric
scoreboard. There
is a small police control box suspended
beneath the roof in this corner of it. On
one side is the Main Stand, with raised
seating 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? Opposite is
the Les Hart Stand, similar in
design to the ends with a TV gantry
suspended below its roof. The one open
corner of the ground has a small block of
flats situated behind it, but the rest of
the ground has a number of trees visible
behind and above the stands, making the ground more
attractive. Jeff Johnson informs me; 'Le Stade de Gigg’ as the locals call it, is now shared with FC United of Manchester'. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
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After another spell of being housed in the Cemetery End, away supporters now find themselves back in the Manchester Road End (aka Bridge Group West Stand). Just over 2,000 away supporters can be accommodated in this area, where you will normally 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 toilets in a relatively new stand. On the whole, however, it was a relaxed and normally a good day out, although sometimes lacking in atmosphere. |
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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). 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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| 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. |
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| By Train/Metro | |
| Bury Metrolink is
served by trams from Manchester Victoria &
Piccadilly mainline 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 of Knowsley Street turn
left 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+, A &
B) for matches, whereby the most popular
games cost more to watch. Prices are shown
below with Category A & B
prices shown in brackets: Home Fans: Main & Les Hart Stands: Adults £20 (A £19) (B £18), Under 21's £15 (A £14) (B £13), Concessions £12 (A £11) (B £10) Cemetery End: Adults £18 (A £17) (B £16), Under 21's £15 (A £14) (B £13), Concessions £12 (A £11) (B £10) All areas: Family Ticket (1 Adult + 1 Child) £19 (A £18) (B £17). Additional child £7 (A £6) (B £5) Away Fans: Manchester Road (West) Stand: Adults £18 (A £17) (B £16), Under 21's £15 (A £14) (B £13), Concessions £12 (A £11) (B £10) Concessions apply to Under 16's, Over 65's, disabled and the unemployed. |
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Official Programme: £2.50 |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Bolton Wanderers & Rochdale. | |
| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website. | |
| Fixtures 2011-2012 | |
| Bury FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website) | |
| 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: 2010-2011: 3.313 (League Two) 2009-2010: 3,029 (League Two) 2008-2009: 3,342 (League Two) |
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| Fans Reviews Of Gigg Lane | |
| 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 football
ground. Access their Bury Hotels and Guest Houses page. |
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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: |
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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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