To not want to live next to a football stadium?

[Nataliaa]

We’ve found a house that in all ways is perfect for us. In terms of price, close to work, size, minimal work needed - we could happily live with the interior, as it is- so no rush to put our stamp on it. No renovations needed. However, it is very close to a football stadium. My DH is saying if I let that one negative sway my decision, we would be turning down our dream family home and as we have been house hunting for 6 months and have not come close to finding any house that ticks so many of our wants, we would regret not going for this one.
My DH says that whilst there may be some disruption on match days, it’s not going to be every single weekend, and therefore minimal.
Am I really being picky, or would this be an issue for others?? Would you happily live near a football stadium?

I have a friend who lives near a 20k capacity football stadium and only issues are parking on match days .
team fans don’t have a bad reputation at all where I’m talking about

I have lived very close to a stadium. I am not into football at all! Honestly the main thing was cars were parked every where that could be parked on from before to just after the game. Everyone arrived quietly and left slightly less quietly. Summer Saturday afternoons had the soundtrack the singing and the horn things but it was just atmosphere not bad. I wasn’t put off at all and wouldn’t be - in fact it was probably less disruptive than being on a school street really.

You'll have cars parking on your road, blocking your drive, sounds a disaster waiting to happen

We used to live near to Blackpools football ground when they were promoted to the Premier league and yes parking could be a hassle on match days as we had on street parking only, but despite being only a 5 min walk away we never had any trouble. I wouldn't let it put you off your dream house.

I don’t know anything about football but just wanted to say I used to live on lotus road. Next to QPR stadium. The lights would shine through into my bedroom and I mostly knew when the home team scored due to the loud cheers!
however, I never had an issue, match days meant the area was super busy which s boost to the high streets pubs, cafe’s etc.

never had an issue with the crowds, no filth on the streets, no damage to my car (no off street parking) and really no other noise apart from during the match. Crowds left quietly and quickly after the game! As I never heard a thing.
hope that helps

Luton stadium entrance is squeezed in a terraced houses row as you go up the stairs you see in people's back garden and the entrance is just a normal door like you would go into a house. When is a game on all cars on the street are requested to move somewhere else so the residents have to find parking on other streets. I never seen anything like it!

I lived near a football stadium (think it was premier league, if not then whatever the next one is! It was Southampton) when I was renting. It was on the same street as my house. People would not only walk past but they would sit on the garden walls drinking! The noise was deafening inside the house during the matches, so I would always go out on match days. We had permit parking, so that didn't cause an issue though. More recently I was a councillor, and my ward included our football stadium. Smaller team, capacity of just under 7000 at the stadium, but my residents had so many issues with parking by the houses, covering driveways, even with enforcement going out ticketing them. People would receive abuse if they confronted fans about covering their driveways.

Yes. I thought (maybe unfairly) that the stadium entrance was by far the most interesting thing about Luton.

Most streets around football stadiums have permit only parking for residents in match days. Also its only around 22 afternoons a year. I won't let it stand in my way if I wanted the house.

I lived next to a championship stadium for 12 years. Absolutely no issues apart from parking on match days. But it’s only about 25 days of the year. Never once had any trouble from the fans.

Go sit outside or nearby the house the next football game before and after and see for yourself how disruptive it could be

I used to live in that area and loved it. Never felt unsafe.

Don't remember any major issues - the Millwall reputation was more historic than the reality.

I did

it was a bit harder to park and a bit noisy once a fortnight

There are so many places in London that are near some kind of major event venue though... O2, Excel, 10+ football stadiums... it's hard to be anywhere well major events are not held, or tourists don't go.

Millwall stadium generally doesn't hold that many events. It's literally a few hours of the area being crowded for a couple of hours a week.

Transport links are excellent down there and it's surpringly central.

If it would be a team in a city like Leicester, Brighton etc I might think again, but in London, unless you're well out in the suburbs, you'll never be out of the way of any and all events. E.g. if you are anywhere near a 2-mile radius of Arsenal, you'll be somewhat affected by match day, whereas at Millwall it'll be much less.

I live a 10-minute walk from a Premier League club and it's minimal disruption, we have permitted parking only, you'll likely have the same.

You'll have a road closure maybe 45 mins before the match, and 45 mins after, but to be honest, I have been driving through directly past the stadium even on match days close enough to kick-off, and it's been fine.

Millwall doesn't have that much going on in recent years, and that's unlikely to change.

I work in a Premier League stadium and it is completely dead in the surrounding area on non matchdays. There is another Premier League stadium nearby and it is a bit more busy as they do more stadium tours but still absolutely nothing like a matchday. Living near a stadium, especially 5 minutes away wouldn't put me off a house if the area was otherwise one I'd like to live in

My place of work is in a residential area near a premier league stadium. The houses are mainly Victorian and very few have drives. Parking is a nightmare during match times as many park in the residential area and walk over to the football ground. Having said that, it is a highly desired area and houses are worth a pretty penny there so mustn't be that much of a problem!

To add to the fun - Charlton have just been promoted to the championship! Now there are local derbies and there are grudge matches but the hatred between these neighbours goes back decades and is certainly not cooling down.

Millwall's stadium might hold 20k but they don't fill it, averaging 15k or so. Either way I'd like to think their fans are more respectful of residents near their home ground than their travelling fans are of residents near away grounds.

The pollution of the air, the noise....

When was the house listed for sale? At the end of the season, during it?

I was going to ask this exact same thing!

I'd be honest, I wouldn't, not only that having to worry about your car everytime there's a match on for damage, not for me, but each to there own

This is extremely short term thinking when the question is about buying the OP’s dream house. Leeds have literally just been promoted this season! And West Ham aren’t exactly riding high. And clearly violence between bitter rivals isn’t the only concern.

Have a word with some of the neighbours. Do they have any problems?

Hi OP, I have family that live near Wembley stadium. Literally 5mins away and tbh it's only a pain every now and then. Not enough to give up on dream house