Just wondered if anybody had some local knowledge please.
Leaving Derby around 4pm and using the M42 on Wednesday for the Faithless gig.

Is very heavy congestion going to be a issue ? or get to a point and use train or park and ride ? or just park in the main arena car parks ?
Also just meeting friends in a pub, can anybody recommend a good one with real ales and quick food ?

Big thanks, Dave…..

Yep it’s all buggered round there thanks to the redevelopment. If you want to drive in park in the jewellery quarter and walk over, being that side of the ring road means you’ll get out. Park anywhere around the NIA and you’ll be there all night…

Put Vyse street in your sat nav, on street parking is free after 6 and your a 5 minute walk from the arena and it will save you a load of time getting in and out. You’ll park by the rose villa tavern which will do you some decent quick grub and a pint.

Nick I presume any of the areas around the car parks on Bristol Road are going to be grid-locked in the early evening?
We’re going to the market early evening in 2 weeks, and usually park in the red cage car park (Brunel St, Nr Mailbox), but I suppose that’ll be a nightmare to get to – what other place do you recommend, or just park North of the Queensway tunnel and walk in?

Oh, and parking near the Jewellery Quarter, we like the Rose Villa pub, Warstone lane, where the clock tower is. Lovely food, and always really nice staff every time we’ve been in.

Thanks for the recommendation with the parking and Pub, will do some research.

From Derby why are you considering taking the M42??
A38 will be far easier, you will sit in traffic for hours on M42, to effectively bypass Birmingham and approach from the east rather than go straight in
A38 gets you straight into the centre atraight to the NIA and most traffic will be going the other way at that time of day, it’s a decent road all the way, gets upto 3 lanes as you approach spaghetti junction now they have ditched the bus lane, few traffic lights but it tends to flow okay. I have done Birmingham from Derby at this time of year after work (leaving around 5ish) a few times to go Xmas shopping at Bullring/German market and it’s generally been fine, generally straight to car parking around bullring/mailbox with no hold ups (apart from getting out of Derby obviously)
Jewellery quarter is easy to get to from A38 and signposted too so if that’s where more local people are saying to park I’d say go for it

(Last time I was in The Rose Villa it cost me £1500 in diamonds 😉 )

Or, drive to Lichfield & get the train in…

Driving in is no bother.
Big well lit multi storey 5 mins walk away.
But don’t come down the M42. A38 will take you right in to town.
I wouldn’t be parking in the jewellery qtr though, unless you specifically want to go there.
Park in the big multi storey, walk through Centenary square, past the big wheel & new library, & head for the Joint Stock by the Cathedral. Pies are to die for.
In fact, it’s about time Mrs Takisawa & I paid a visit.

Christ don’t park in the multi storey… It’s bad enough normally now with the redevelopment work and road closures let alone trying to get out after a gig! Remember the Christmas market is also on getting into town from NIA side is a nightmare although I do like the pies at the old joint stock.

Alan, depends which direction your coming from and what time… Don’t think it’s too bad down there at the moment. ive been using the self ridges car park recentley to get into town since moving out of town a few months ago, or I park at my old place by he NIA and walk in as long as there’s not a gig on.

We’re off to Birmingham this weekend, I darent mention who we are going to see but that’s another story.
A couple was telling us of a good pub the other week which is near broad street possibly down on the canal, it does live music and decent beer. Any ideas what it’s called?

A couple was telling us of a good pub the other week which is near broad street possibly down on the canal, it does live music and decent beer. Any ideas what it’s called?

The Tap and Spile I suspect is where you mean.

For other ale based options, The Wellington is a proper real ale pub and 10 mins walk from the NIA, also the Post Office Vaults has over 400 different continental beers and a mere 6 real ales.

Wrighty I think you’re after the flapper and firkin. On the canal, back a bit from broad street. Tap and spile fits the bill too but there’s not often live music – used to be where we went at silly o’clock in the morning when they openly charged double the regular price and no one cared cos we were always hammered!

Thanks for the updates folks, gone for using the A38, staying well clear of the M42 :roll:, parking 10 min walk from the arena with “Just Park.com” £4 :-)And taking fish and chips into the Wellington, all good…..

If the Market is open, then I’d suggest getting some food from there, and taking that into the Wellington – it is 100 metres, maybe less from the food area of the market.

used to be where we went at silly o’clock in the morning when they openly charged double the regular price and no one cared cos we were always hammered!

They still do that, it’s always rammed at 3 or 4am, full of people out for “just a couple more”. Follow that with a trip to Big Bite for a dirty kebab and you have yourself a damn fine night.

Looks like Saturday night could be a good one.