The nearest tube to Griffin Park is South Ealing in Zone 3 on the Piccadilly Line. Depending on your London main line station (or West Ham), change at Edgware Road or Acton Town, (one stop before), if on the the District Line; Gloucester Road on the Circle or District (get off here if on a Richmond District service); Kings Cross on the Hammersmith and City.
This tube station is around a 15 minute walk from the ground, turning right down Ealing Road. Good luck crossing the A4 at the bottom! Otherwise as you come out of the station cross over to the other side of Ealing Road and catch a number 65 bus down to the ground, but you can get caught in traffic.
South Ealing Tube: Go south, your soon see the floodlights!
The nearest train station is Brentford, which is around five minutes walk away from the ground. This station is on the London Waterloo to Reading line, which run fairly frequently, see www.nationalrail.co.uk for times of services there and back.
To get from the station to the ground, exit onto Station Road. Take the first right into Orchard Road, right again into Windmill Road and then first left into Hamilton Road which leads into New Road, and the New Inn, and the ground.
Brentford Station: Top middle then follow the instructions above the map.
Fullers ESB, best pint in the world. Go on, treat yourselves
A Brief History of Fuller's
Beer has been brewed on Fuller's Chiswick site for over 350 years -- as far back as the era of Oliver Cromwell.
From the original brewery in the gardens of Bedford House on Chiswick Mall, the business expanded and thrived until the early part of the nineteenth century. In 1829, owners Douglas and Henry Thompson and Phillip Wood welcomed a new partner, John Fuller, of Neston Park in Wiltshire.
The family tradition carries on
The partnership dissolved in 1841, leaving Fuller's son, John Bird Fuller, alone to run the large enterprise. In 1845, Fuller was joined by Henry Smith from the Romford Brewery of Ind & Smith, and his brother-in-law, head brewer John Turner, thereby forming Fuller Smith & Turner, as it is still known today.
Since that date, the Griffin Brewery has gone from strength to strength. In 1910 the Beehive Brewery in Brentford was acquired, along with its pubs.
In 1929, one hundred years after the first Fuller had come to Chiswick, the partnership was dissolved and a Limited Company was formed. Descendents of those first partners are still heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the company.
Pubs within walking distance
No set real ales, but a constantly changing selection of four guests, with a running total of over 1,700 different beers served up in the last eleven years. This is the only place for traditional cider in the area. There are up to three, plus an occasional perry. Lagers are varities like draught Budvar, Fruli, Hoegaarden, Affligem and Paulaner.
Brewery Tap: 47, Catherine Wheel Road. Fullers pub, surprise, towards the river near Thames Lock, around 10 minutes walk from the ground. Pool table and Tuesday night is Jazz night, but you should be at the game by then! We're told it's not the brewery tap of Fuller's, but of a long deceased brewery that was taken over in 1908.
Magpie and Crown: Close to Irons Road bottom left before Augustus Close; stadium top right.
Brewery Tap: Go on past Augustus Close into bottom right and there's Catherine Wheel Road below RD.
Express Tavern: 56, Kew Bridge Road. Closest pub to Kew Bridge Station and 15 minutes walk to the ground. Gardern at the back and a very nice pint of Bass or Young's Bitter, and a couple of regularly changed guest beers. If bored you can take a look at the Bees memorabilla inside the pub.
Waggon & Horses: 26, Kew Bridge Road. A few yards down the Kew Bridge Road and the other side of the road from the Express Tavern. Popular with away fans. Fuller's London Pride, Chiswick and Dicovery on handpump. Has pool table and TV. Food served. Under new management, so could have gone either way.
Express Tavern: Top right on Kew Bridge Road next to the station, ground top left.
Waggon & Horses: Just carry on down Kew Briadge Road, pub above Hollows top right.
Pubs Close to the ground
You could actually have a pub crawl by just walking around the ground as Brentford is famous for being the only stadium in England that has a pub at every corner! The surrounding land was formerly owned by the Griffin Brewery, hence Griffin Park.
So good luck if you try all four, which are, in no particular order; the Royal Oak, The Griffin, The Princess Royal & The New Inn.
If you arrive at the ground late and deseperate for a pint try the Potters Arms, a five minute walk across the road from the New Inn. (See map below.)
There is a club house called Stripes. It's not officially open to away fans as far as we know, but you can probably get in if you don't have colours. Then again, why bother with this choice!
If you've tried one in the other choices you'll only be able to take a couple more if you want to see the game in a decent state! So here's the best two, but they both get very busy close to kick-off.
The Griffin: Brook Road South. Well run Fullers pub on the south-west corner of the ground. Has got expensive but it's the best pint in the area.
Remember, away fans are housed in the Brook Road Stand, so a good last stop.
The New Inn: 1, New Road. Most popular of the four with away supporters. Courage Directors on handpump, down the M4 from Reading, but make the most of it, the Berkshire based brewery is closing next year.
Enjoying the beer here so much before a cup game, missed most of the first half and our only goal in a 2-1 defeat! Food served.
The Griffin: Brook Road, bottom left.
The New Inn: New Road, top left.
Potters Arms: 25 Clayponds Lane, top right off Burford Road.
(Many thanks to those hardened drinkers at www.ciderspace.co.uk, and those nice people at www.footballgroundguide.com, for their help with this article. I'm certainly going to enjoy this game whatever the result, and even with the German!)