Barrow

I am a powerchair user and my husband is a white cane user. We visited as away fans travelling in our Club’s official away travel coach. This was our first visit to the SO Legal Ground.

Arrival and Entry to the Ground
Scenic hour’s drive through the South Lakes area from the M6. The coach then drove through Asda’s car park in order to get to the away end of the stadium where we all disembarked. To get to the wheelchair accessible entrance, based on the instructions we had previously been given, keeping the stadium on our left, we turned left at the traffic lights and left into the small car park which had Reception at the far side of it. Our entrance into the ground was then on the left.

Seating Area
We were told that there is wheelchair access to the away end but no accessible toilets, which made it impracticable for us to sit there. We were accommodated on a slightly raised platform (see photo) between the corner flag and two rows of seating which extended to the tunnel behind the home goal. This platform which we were informed had had a roof added for the first time since the previous home game, accommodated me plus one more away wheelchair fan and another on a scooter with I think 3 home fans beyond them. This left enough room for my husband to stand in the corner next to me and other carers/companions to stand behind the wheelchair users. There were some free-standing chairs available on the platform. Home wheelchair fans who arrived after this platform had filled up were accommodated in the adjacent “bus shelter” and I noticed one went off towards the tunnel but I did not see where they went. We had a good view down the pitch but my view of the home goal was partially blocked at times by those in the first two seats to my right. We had no problem with anyone standing/walking in front of us during the match. We would say that the platform was a bit “Heath Robinson” but in the words of their staff “we are doing our best”. For away fans sat at the home end (at the opposite end of the ground to all the other away fans) the experience was probably as good as it can be. On the positive side, as we were allowed into the ground when we arrived at 1 pm, we were able to say hello to all our players as they had to walk past us to get to the changing room and our Manager stopped and had a conversation with us. We were told that they don’t often get away wheelchair fans. Whilst the home wheelchair fans sat with us were welcoming, one of them giving each of us a Club pin badge, it struck me that had I been a home ST holder I would have been unhappy tif my usual space had been taken by away fans, leaving me only spaces with a less good view, particularly if this was a crunch game!

Audio Match Commentary
Not aware this is available.

Accessible Toilets
Two toilets, labelled “All Gender”, both large and accessible located in the building immediately behind the wheelchair platform. Door into this area was difficult for me to open without assistance, I got through it going in but I doubt I would got back through it by myself. Both toilets were sparkling clean with a good array of grab rails, free sanitary products and nappy wipes. There was a radiator but it was turned off, although as the toilets were in a larger building they were much warmer than many I have been in. I could not get any warm water (which is always a disappointment for handwashing in winter). Equally it seemed the hand drier was not working but there were hand towels, although the bin for them was so small it was difficult to reach from my chair.

Catering
Two large wooden huts on the left as we entered. Coffee £2, which we thought was excellent value, staff member offered to carry it for us, which was much appreciated. We asked if they did chips, which they didn’t but told us we would be allowed out of the ground to go to the van that did do chips but instead we bought from them sausage rolls, £3.50, beautiful flaky pastry and non-greasy, served in a paper bag which made it easy to carry and eat.

Club Officials
Our first contact with Barrow staff was with Dave Pointer, the Ticket Office Manager, when I discovered that you had to contact Barrow to purchase our tickets rather than buy them through our own Club as our non disabled fans did. We have had bad experiences doing this with other Clubs but Dave was friendly and efficient from the start, with the tickets arriving in my inbox whilst I was still talking to him. I spoke to him a second time in the week before the match to get directions on where we needed to go after we left the coach at the away end. As well as giving me directions he told me to go to Reception on arrival and he would show us into the stadium (which he did as well as telling us where the loos and refreshments were). Additionally, many of the Club staff who passed by in front of us before the match stopped and chatted to us, including the press officer who gave us a complementary programme. Never before in one of our many LPF Reviews have I made mention of a Club mascot. We believe that Bluey Bluebird, is the hardest working mascot we have ever encountered. From 1 pm he never stopped, he was everywhere, making a fuss of everyone. When he first saw us, he immediately jumped the wall at the side of the pitch and climbed over the scaffold of our platform to have his photo taken with us. He waved to us every time he passed by and showed off his dance moves. It was lovely to see him making such a fuss of all the kids. Well done Bluey.

Leaving the Stadium
Dave appeared as he said he would at the end of the game to escort us back round to our bus at the away end. Thankfully the pavement going round was not too crowded and for the first time this year, it was still light at the end of the game, so all was good and once boarded, our bus got easily away.

Overall
We hate as away fans having to be at the home end but if it has to be then we got as good experience as was possible in these circumstances as we were made very welcome by all. As a small Club, newly promoted from non-league, we are more understanding of them saying they are “doing their best” and were satisfied from what we experienced, that they are. All the Club staff we had contact with were very friendly and eager to make our visit as good as possible. We would happily return despite the journey being the longest for us this season!