Some advice please

[steakbearnaise 0]

I live in Belgium and am returning a favour to a German, Dortmund-supporting, friend of mine who took me to a game at the Westfalenstadion earlier this season, so we are coming over to Norwich for the Wigan game in a couple of weeks. Dortmund thrashed Cologne 5-0 in the game we saw there, so hopefully we can do as well as that...But I haven''t even been to Norwich for years and years (although I have seen us play at away games when I was living in London) so I wondered whether anyone can advise on a couple of things:I was going to book us in for the Saturday night at the holiday inn at Carrow Road on the basis that it''s fairly cheap and we can leave the car there to get away straight after the match (it''s going to be fairly tight to make it down to Folkestone for the last chunnel crossing on Sunday night). Any views on whether there are better options, or what the holiday inn is like? And/or is there a better place to leave the car if we want to avoid traffic as much as possible after the game (and no, I''m not the type to leave before the final whistle, whatever the score)?Any advice on stuff to do in Norwich - we''ll arrive on Saturday afternoon so have a bit of time, and will inevitably want some dinner and drinks out that night.Any helpful advice much appreciated.

[Ruddygore 0]

I''m sure you''ll get better advice but everyone else seems busy at the mo.

The "Chunnel" runs through the night - at least I hope it does, we have a booking for 1am during March.

Holiday Inn is ok, we stayed there once but not sure you can leave the car there after staying the night before. When we stayed it was the night of the game because they state that if staying the night before you must take your car when you check out by 10am. Check this out with the hotel.

Traffic is bad anywhere near Carrow Road after a match, any car parks nearby get you caught up for a good hour, hour and a half after.

Checking my Tom Tom route planner, once free of Carrow Road the journey time should only be about 3 hours driving within the speed limit so you should be ok anyway.

Hopefully some "Real Fans" on here will have the time to give you some hints for your night out. Be a shame if they couldn''t help out a visiting fan.

[kick it off 2,062]

I''m an exile so have parking issues when visiting FCR. We normally park at county hall for an extortionate fee. If you will be in Norwich on the morning of the game, I suggest moving your car to County Hall a good few hours before the game and parking up as close to the exit road as you can.

If you leave dead on the final whistle, you should theoretically get off CH in no time at all, if you linger after FT then you are likely to get bottlenecked but parking close to the exit should get you out reasonably.

Just my 2 cents, others might disagree.

[kick it off 2,062]

Stuff to do in Norwich - well it depends on your taste really. I went up early for the promotion parade and we found ourselves wondering around the Cathedral which is particularly impressive.

dinner and drinks, I will defer to a local.

[kick it off 2,062]

Or the castle maybe?

[zemas tendon 0]

Depends on what food, drinks your after!! most decent eateries are booked up on a sat evening!!

[BW 0]

steakbearnaise i have left you a pm on a free car park place in the city center it''s your best bet its where i park when i go to games.

[steakbearnaise 0]

thanks for replies so far

re the chunnel - the last one you can book that night goes at 22.23, so

I''m assuming it doesn''t run all the way through (or at least perhaps not

on a Sunday, anyhow). Normally when we drive over we''ve got my daughter

with me so tend to go for more sociable crossing times, so not sure for

other days.

So assuming final whistle goes a little before 6pm, I need to be in the

car, clear of any major traffic and on my south within an hour to make

the check-in by 21.53... Is kick it off''s suggestion of county hall the best place to park (thanks KOF) in order to do that?

[Ruddygore 0]

Last one on Sunday March 11th 2012 is at midnight but you are correct (must be Sunday specials!) the next one is the following morning at 6am.

Bookings still available for midnight. Would give you some leeway.

[K Lo 246]

Have a look at the Harwich - Hook of Holland overnight crossing (if that suits). I''ve done it loads of times and it''s a pleasure. It''s only about 75 miles (120 km) from Norwich too.

[steakbearnaise 0]

[quote user="zemas tendon"]

Depends on what food, drinks your after!! most decent eateries are booked up on a sat evening!!

[/quote]I suppose some more details might have been helpful... Put it this way - we''re both in our mid 30s and have families with small kids, and we''ve been friends for decades but live in different countries, so priorities for places to go out would be pubs/bars that are open late where we can chat and catch up rather than dance to crap music, decent beer (we live in Belgium and Germany, so we''re used to the good stuff!) and ideally not feeling like we''re the oldest or the youngest people in the place... And for food - something lively, good quality but not expecting michelin star or anything like that, somewhere we can take our time over dinner. Not sure if that is that helpful really... But basically I''m open to any recommendations that might fit the above and grateful for any suggestions.Thanks all

[AJ 1,359]

In relation to your food drink, there is a lovely Cuban bar, see: http://www.revoluciondecuba.com/ (can''t do links so you''ll have to copy and paste into your web browser) that does some fantastic food and world beers/drinks. I would highly recommend it for a chilled evening!

[zemas tendon 0]

[quote user="steakbearnaise"][quote user="zemas tendon"]

Depends on what food, drinks your after!! most decent eateries are booked up on a sat evening!!

[/quote]

I suppose some more details might have been helpful... Put it this way - we''re both in our mid 30s and have families with small kids, and we''ve been friends for decades but live in different countries, so priorities for places to go out would be pubs/bars that are open late where we can chat and catch up rather than dance to crap music, decent beer (we live in Belgium and Germany, so we''re used to the good stuff!) and ideally not feeling like we''re the oldest or the youngest people in the place... And for food - something lively, good quality but not expecting michelin star or anything like that, somewhere we can take our time over dinner.

Not sure if that is that helpful really... But basically I''m open to any recommendations that might fit the above and grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks all

 

Hi steakbearnaise,

Some decent ones for you and kids, you have Bar Tapas, which does authentic Spanish food, good for every one, you have Captain Americas which is a American Diner, nice place, Pedros which does all Mexican, or you can go to many eateries down Riverside, which gives you Chinese, Frankie&bennys etc etc, or you have the Curry Houses which are all good!! for late drinking there are quite a few where it is good to chat, but not sure about kids
[/quote]

[pete_norw 0]

There are plenty of cheap carparkes in Thorpe road, which is about 5minutes from the ground, if you get there early and beat the attendant its free, the Carpark is situated in Thorpe house its the one I use and usually pay £3-00. when you come out to go home turn right follow the flow of traffic to ring road  It usually takes me around 30 minutes to get to the A 143 / Beccles and main ring road.. Try the Nelson for a nice evening good food and drink they also have Amstell on tap. sorry we Don''t have any SCHNELL IMBISS''S inNorwich 

[Matt Juler 211]

One suggestion for food on the Saturday night could be Delia''s.  More details here: http://www.deliascanarycatering.com/restaurant.phpAs for parking at the hotel, they make it clear that you must move your car from the carpark at the point of checkout, so you''re not able to leave it there all day.  The Channel Tunnel is normally closed totally for around 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday nights for maintenance, however it''s not fixed and different weeks have different schedules.

[Jim Smith 2,611]

If you''ve not been to Norwich for a while then don''t waste the 24 hours you do have there on Riverside. Tacky, generic chain venue which could be in any city in the uk. i''ve not been out much in Norwich on a saturday night in recent years but i would think you are best off around for drinks/food around Tombland/Bank Plan/Bedford Street/St Benedicts type areas or a for a curry heading down Magdalen St.

Belgian Monk is good for foreign beers but might be a bit close to home!

Was also going to suggest maybe looking at harwich to Hook of Holland ferry.

[Jim Smith 2,611]

Nelson has a car park and you will be able to leave your car there during the game i''m sure. 

[PurpleCanary 6,391]

[quote user="pete_norw"]There are plenty of cheap carparkes in Thorpe road, which is about 5minutes from the ground, if you get there early and beat the attendant its free, the Carpark is situated in Thorpe house its the one I use and usually pay £3-00. when you come out to go home turn right follow the flow of traffic to ring road  It usually takes me around 30 minutes to get to the A 143 / Beccles and main ring road. [/quote]

 

If that is feasible (ie getting from Thorpe Road to the ring road in no more than 30 mins straight after a game) then there are one or two hotels up there where you could stay, and they would probably allow you to leave your car, for a quick exit. The Lansdowne, for one. I have never tried it, but from there you could possibly avoid the really heavy traffic by driving through Thorpe St Andrew and getting on to the ring road that way.

[steakbearnaise 0]

thanks again for all responses.

re channel crossing - I looked at the ferry but the problem is that I need to be at

work in Brussels the next morning and I wouldn''t have time to make it

from Hook of Holland after it docks on Monday. But I was wrong about the

eurotunnel - there are a couple of crossings during the night, so

hopefully if we are too late for the 10.23 one, they will do what they

normally do and stick us on the next crossing. Although that would probably not mean getting home until 5am, which is only shortly before my daughter would normally wake me up in the morning, so we''ll try to put our foot down a little on the way down to Folkestone...

On places to go out - @zemas tendon: no kids with us on this trip, so we don''t need to worry about them. @pete_norw - no Schnell Imbiss?? That''s going to be a disappointing end to a Saturday night out...Anyway, cheers everyone - will have a look through all your recommendations and try to sort it all out. Much looking forward to the game, I can tell you - I haven''t been to a game since I was living in London and back then we were regularly getting beaten by some crap teams, so I''m desperate for a thumping victory at FCR this time around!

[marvin the martian 0]

Had you thought about how you''re going to get tickets ?

[CaptnCanary 0]

[quote user="marvin the martian"]Had you thought about how you''re going to get tickets ?[/quote]

Just what I was about to say. You have got tickets haven''t you? You do realise we sell out every week?

[missing warden 0]

[quote user="Jim Smith"]Nelson has a car park and you will be able to leave your car there during the game i''m sure. [/quote]You need a receipt for eating there to get free parking.Loads of good restaurants and bars in the city. As already said Tombland, St Benedicts, Magdalen St has some great places to eat and drink.

[steakbearnaise 0]

[quote user="CaptnCanary"]

[quote user="marvin the martian"]Had you thought about how you''re going to get tickets ?[/quote]

Just what I was about to say. You have got tickets haven''t you? You do realise we sell out every week?

[/quote]Yes - tickets are sorted, happily. I think the Wigan game went on general

sale, but I bought membership for us both to make sure we could get them

as, apart from a couple of the games that would sell out in .023 seconds, this was the only match that we could both come over for...

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="steakbearnaise"][quote user="CaptnCanary"]

[quote user="marvin the martian"]Had you thought about how you''re going to get tickets ?[/quote]

Just what I was about to say. You have got tickets haven''t you? You do realise we sell out every week?

[/quote]

Yes - tickets are sorted, happily. I think the Wigan game went on general sale, but I bought membership for us both to make sure we could get them as, apart from a couple of the games that would sell out in .023 seconds, this was the only match that we could both come over for...
[/quote]

Brilliant news hope you and your friend have a great time, We Norwich fans have gone into party mood sooner than expected, so everywhere will be lively to say the least, Think we expect a good result against Wigan 

[kick it off 2,062]

If the Thorpe Road option is your best bet then I can give you a heads up on the Landsdowne as I stayed there for Promotion parade.

It''s pretty dated, but cheap and very friendly service. Conveniently located from City centre too. If it''s just a one night crash pad you''re after then I''d say it''s not a bad bet, but it''s certainly not 5*.

[Mister Chops 7]

The traffic on Thorpe Road after matches is pretty awful though, you can sit in traffic for a while.  I''d go for County Hall where you can get onto the dual carriageway and are nearer the A11 which you''ll need to get to Folkestone (presume you''d go A11/A14/M11/M25 and not A140/A12).

[Yobocop 1,444]

I always park at the top of City Road, a 10-15 minute walk to the ground (quite hilly, so if you''re old or smoke not for you) then usually a 5-10 minute drive back to the southern bypass and you''re on the A11 by 17:15 and I''m usually back in Stevenage for 18:45

You would get to Folkstone by about 8:30-9 I would imagine!

[Shankslad 0]

Car parking - I would use county hall, very handy for A47/A11 cost £6.

 

Eating - Loads of good suggestions made on here so take your pick.   Tombland would be my preference.   You could consider a visit to Yellows just to keep it in the family!

 

Have to take issue about the beer - you don''t have beer in Belgium and Germany.   You have lager!   A horrible continental concoction of fizzy chemicals and froth.   You need to take opportunity to drink some good ole English Ale and in nect to no time you''ll be morris dancing all over the town!!!

[Mick Dennis 0]

Hi

First of all, enjoy your visit to the home of football and the fine city. I live 130 miles away, but my heart leaps every time I get to the outer ring-road.

Secondly, you definitely can''t leave your car in the hotel car park on match days once you have checked out. I have begged and pleaded about that, but it''s a no-no.

The hotel is nice enough, though -- a standard Holiday Inn. Away fans tend to stay there, but Wigan only have about two of those.

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="Shankslad"]

Car parking - I would use county hall, very handy for A47/A11 cost £6.

 

Eating - Loads of good suggestions made on here so take your pick.   Tombland would be my preference.   You could consider a visit to Yellows just to keep it in the family!

 

Have to take issue about the beer - you don''t have beer in Belgium and Germany.   You have lager!   A horrible continental concoction of fizzy chemicals and froth.   You need to take opportunity to drink some good ole English Ale and in nect to no time you''ll be morris dancing all over the town!!!

[/quote]

Biggest problem with County hall is unless you leave the match early it can take up tp an hour to get out of, Plus that long walk up the hill, Thorpe road is probably the best option and cheaper on carpark charges too