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Counties - Media Guide to the Grounds
Warwickshire (Edgbaston, Birmingham) by George DobellEmail George on: georgedobell@gmail.com
Birmingham (Edgbaston)
Directions FROM M6 Leave at Junction 6, follow signs for "A38(M) City Centre" and then "A38 South West" through Queensway Tunnel, turn left at 1st set of traffic lights and then right at the roundabout onto the A441 (Pershore Road). REDDITCH A441 through Kings Norton, Cotteridge and Stirchley. Turn right at Edgbaston Road traffic lights, the ground is situated on your left. FROM WOLVERHAMPTON A4123 and A456 (Hagley Road) to Five Ways, follow signs to Moseley and Edgbaston (B4217). FROM M40 Join M42 (M42 west and M5), leaving at Junction 3. Follow A435 towards Birmingham, through Kings Heath and turn left to Edgbaston. FROM SOLIHULL-STRATFORD Leave Stratford Road (A34) at College Road. Follow signs for Moseley and Edgbaston (B4217). FROM WORCESTER/BROMSGROVE A38 or M5 (leave at Junction 4) through Northfield and Selly Oak, turning right at Priory Road traffic lights (B4217). There will not be any first-class games in Stratford for the foreseeable future. Edgbaston is currently having extensive construction work taking place at the City End which will be ready for completion in late 2010. Contacts: Abi Dollery is the best first point of contact. Her number is 07770 728 409. EMAIL: abidollery@edgbaston.com She is, in effect, the press officer. Very helpful. She will arrange a press conference every evening as required. Keith Cook is Operations Manager at Warwickshire. His number is 0121 446 3621. Mobile is 07773 770 197. Colin Povey is the chief executive. Background as chief exec of Carlsberg-Tetley. Played and coached international volley ball. His office number is 0121 446 3601. The director of coaching is Ashley Giles. Again, very helpful and will return calls. Journalists present for most home matches often include Mike Beddow, Paul Bolton, George Dobell and Brian Halford. Press box number is 0121 440 7770. http://visitus.edgbaston.com/. The press box is large, the view is fine (pretty much behind bowler's arm) and there are plenty of plug sockets etc. There are plenty of phone points too, but you may well need to call the club beforehand to ensure they are connected. WiFi is available. The box also has an internal phone line which links to the scorers, the dressing rooms, umpires etc. Due to a spate of thefts a couple of years ago, the press box is locked and you will need a code to access it. There should be a steward to help you with this when you arrive, but if not feel free to call. There are plans for press facilities in the new pavilion. Work will start as soon as the Ashes Test of 2009 has finished and should be completed before the start of the 2011 season. The club provides tea and coffee in the box. They also now provide lunch in the Dollery Suite (you'll need to show your ECB pass at the till) on the other side of the ground. Generally these are very good, with a large amount of choice, and they are available for all limited over and Championship games. Sandwiches are delivered to the box during Twenty20 matches. Bars The Dollery now shuts soon after play. Elsewhere Broad Street is probably the main social area, though you may feel a bit ancient if you're aged over 18. Brindley Place – just across the road from Broad Street – is slightly up market, while The Mail Box is better still. Perhaps the best pub in Birmingham is The Black Eagle on Factory Road in Hockley. It's quite near Winson Green prison and the route is a bit complicated, so take a taxi. Or the metro. It's next to Benson Road station. The food is superb (the steak pie is highly recommended) and the beer (loads of 'guest' real ales) even better. The landlord (Tony Lewis) is famed as the man in the veil with the scimitar from the 1970s Turkish Delight advert. The one where the snake slithers across the sand… you MUST remember. He will not thank you for mentioning this. Phone number is 0121 523 4008, but it's shut on Sunday evenings. Other favourites include The Wellington (37, Bennetts Hill), a real ale pub right in the centre of town, just off Colmore Row and New Street. Food is not served, but you are welcome to bring your own. They provide knives and forks. Number is: 0121 200 3115. Lots of people also like the Tap and Spile, on Gas Street just off Broad Street and by the canal. Personally I think it's rubbish; it smells of vomit. The number is: 0121 632 5602. Barton Arms, in Newton, is highly rated, too. Has won various awards and provides real ale and Thai food. In a dodgy area but has its own car park. Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin are among the previous visitors. 0121 333 5988. |
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