Dean Court · Kings Park · Bournemouth BH7 7AF · Capacity 11,307
Dean Court: the smallest ground in the division
Bournemouth play in front of eleven thousand people at Dean Court, set among trees in Kings Park a mile from the sea. It is by some distance the smallest top-flight ground in England, and the setting is nothing like any other fixture at that level.
Capacity, which is smaller than several League One grounds and less than a sixth of Old Trafford. The upside for a visiting supporter is that eleven thousand people leave a park in about ten minutes.
What eleven thousand people changes
Almost every difficulty at a big away ground comes from crowd volume. Here there is not much of it.
Ten minutes, genuinely
Eleven thousand people leaving parkland disperse almost immediately. The easiest exit of any away ground we cover.
Trees on all sides
The ground sits in parkland rather than terraced streets, with playing fields and green space around it.
A mile away
Bournemouth beach and the town centre are close enough to build a day around.
Is the hard part
A hundred and thirty-five miles from Kent. The ground is easy; getting there is the exercise.
Kent to Dorset
M25 anticlockwise, M3, then the M27 and A31 west. A long but straightforward motorway run.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Each way | Home by, 15:00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 122 miles | 2h 20m – 2h 55m | 20:00 |
| Bromley & Orpington | 126 miles | 2h 25m – 3h | 20:05 |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 132 miles | 2h 30m – 3h 5m | 20:10 |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 137 miles | 2h 35m – 3h 10m | 20:15 |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 140 miles | 2h 40m – 3h 15m | 20:20 |
| Rochester & Chatham | 146 miles | 2h 45m – 3h 25m | 20:30 |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 170 miles | 3h 10m – 3h 55m | 21:00 |
Making a day of it
Given the journey, most groups build something around the ninety minutes of football.
| What | Distance from the ground |
|---|---|
| Bournemouth beach | About a mile and a half |
| The town centre and BIC | Two miles, with the pubs and food |
| Boscombe | A mile, closer and quieter |
| Poole and Sandbanks | Six miles west |
| The New Forest | Twenty minutes east, if you want the scenic version |
A Bournemouth away day
The exit is the easiest we deal with
Eleven thousand people leaving a ground set in parkland is a completely different proposition from sixty thousand leaving terraced streets. There is no crush, no long walk to a collection point and no queue. We can hold close and you will be moving within about ten minutes of the whistle, which is genuinely unusual.
The journey is the whole difficulty
A hundred and thirty-five miles down the M3 and M27 is two and a half to three hours each way, which makes this a long day for ninety minutes of football at a small ground. A three o'clock kick-off gets you home by eight, which is manageable. An evening kick-off is a different matter.
Build the town into it
Given the drive, most groups that come here do more than the match. The beach is a mile and a half away, the town centre has the pubs and the BIC, and Poole and the New Forest are close. Tell us what you want and we will price the day as one arrangement rather than a transfer with dead time either side.
Or stay over
Bournemouth has a very large supply of accommodation and midweek rates are modest. For an evening kick-off, or for a group who would rather not do five and a half hours of driving in a day, a night by the sea turns the fixture into a proper trip.
Vitality Stadium questions
A small ground and a long drive.
How small is the ground?
Around eleven thousand, which is the smallest in the top flight by a clear margin and less than a sixth of Old Trafford. The advantage is that it empties in about ten minutes.
How far is Bournemouth from Kent?
Around a hundred and twenty to a hundred and seventy miles, two and a half to four hours each way on the M25, M3, M27 and A31.
Can we do it as a day return?
For an afternoon kick-off, yes. Three o'clock means home by eight. For an evening fixture, consider staying over.
Where do you collect afterwards?
Close to the ground, which is unusual. Eleven thousand people leaving parkland disperse quickly, so there is no need to hold far back.
Is the ground near the beach?
About a mile and a half. The town centre is two miles, Boscombe is closer at a mile, and Poole is six miles west.
Should we make a day of it?
Most groups do, given the drive. Tell us what you want to see and we will price the whole day as one arrangement.
Is there parking near the ground?
Kings Park has some provision and it fills. Being dropped avoids the exercise entirely, particularly given how quickly the area clears afterwards.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed before travel and unaffected by motorway delays or added time.
South coast venues and guides
Dorset and Hampshire from Kent.