DT92 ~ Loftus Road

Loftus Road - Queens Park Rangers — Picture © Colin Peel. All rights reserved.

Loftus Road has been a League ground for 105 seasons

from 1 July 1963 to the current day

and from 1 July 1933 to 18 September 1962

and from 1 July 1920 to 30 June 1931

The 110th ground to be used for a League game

Current capacity: 18,360

Opened: 1917

GROUND HISTORY adapted from "The Ultimate Directory of English & Scottish Football League Grounds"

This confined site was in use as a rubbish dump when Shepherd’s Bush FC moved in in 1904 and the only facility in situ when Queens Park Rangers FC took over in 1917 was a pavilion on the south side. The new tenants moved their stand from Park Royal and re-erected it on the south side whilst standing accommodation was provided by uncovered banks around the remainder of the pitch and the only alteration to the ground prior to WWII was the installation of a cover at the east end.

In 1948 the terraces were concreted and the club purchased the freehold to the ground and also some of the surrounding houses but it was not until after the 1960s that Loftus Road was finally developed. A two-tier stand was constructed on the north side in 1968, a replacement 5,000 seat stand built on the south side in 1972, and by 1981 a two-tier stand had been installed at each end. During the 1990s the standing accommodation was converted to seating and the capacity at the start of the 2007/8 season was 19,130. The pitch size was 112 x 72 yards.

GROUND DETAILS adapted from "The Extreme Groundhoppers Guide"

Ground address: Loftus Road, South Africa Road, London, W12 7PA
Main phone: 020 8743 0262
Ticket office: 08444 777 007
Ticket prices: Adults £50 (B) £40, (C) £30, Over 60's £45 (B) £35, (C) £25, Under 16's £22 (B) £17, (C) £15
Food & drink: O’Neill’s, the place is not bad with a good range of lagers and wines Friendly bar staff and decent food at a good price and highly recommended. The police are now denying neutrals on match days to the Springbok that is not fair if they are not wearing any colours so they don’t know what team they support

The Walkabout at 56 Shepherds Bush Green seem the away supports pub for match days The atmosphere is incredibly friendly and good times are guaranteed every day of the week. The meals are cheap, delicious the beers are always flowing everywhere you look there is a plasma TV. One of the best places for watching live sport in London
If driving: From the North West/ East Take the M25 to Junction 16 on to the M40. At the end of the M40, take the A40 towards Central London. Follow the Westway/A40 (M), turn off onto the A40 at the Harlesdean/ White City junction and turn right at the lights into Wood Lane, turn right after the BBC into South Africa Road for the ground. For parking I take the next junction of the A40 and at the roundabout take the third exit onto West Cross Road then go straight on at the next roundabout down Holland Road and then turn right into Kensington High Street over the bridge and first right up to Olympia and park there and walk 15 minutes to the ground £4.00 for three hours
Public transport: The nearest tube station is White City on the Central Line, which is about a five minute walk away go right on to wood lane and they first left into South Africa Road you will soon see the ground. Also nearby is the recently re-opened Wood Lane Station, which is on the Hammersmith & City line. It is around a seven minute walk away from Loftus Road.

Otherwise use Shepherds Bush Market tube station the Hammersmith & City line, simply because we can do a pub crawl (O’Neill’s, Springbok and Walkabout). Leaving Shepherds Bush Market tube station; turn right and walk up Uxbridge Road and about 200yards then right into Bloemfontein Road then 300yards right into South Africa Road or walk down Wood Lane then into South Africa Road the ground will come into view.