Darlington

Blackwell Meadows

TIN SHED HOME COVERED TERRACE ~900 WEST TERRACE AWAY WHEN SEGREGATED ~800 COVERED SEATS 588 FLAT STANDING STAND CLUBHOUSE / PAVILION NORTH · Grange Road / car parks EAST · TOWN END WEST · OPEN END SOUTH · SEATED STAND + SIDE STANDING N

Blackwell Meadows is a compact, friendly groundshare with Darlington Rugby Football Club on Grange Road (DL1 5NR), about a mile and a half south of the town centre and Bank Top station. The Quakers have played here since Boxing Day 2016. Capacity is around 3,300, with a covered Tin Shed terrace behind the town-end goal, a 588-seat stand along the south side, open standing at the west end, and flat standing behind the pitchside rails.

Most league matches are not segregated. You enter through the home turnstiles to the left of the clubhouse, nearest the Tin Shed. You can walk the ground, stand on the rails, or take a seat if one is free. The Tin Shed itself is reserved for home supporters, so do not settle there even on mixed days. When a fixture is segregated, away fans use the turnstiles to the right of the clubhouse and are housed on the open west terrace, with up to about 90 seats usually made available in the main stand.

The Tin Shed is the character piece: a covered, stepped terrace of about 900, rebuilt with steel from the old Feethams stand of the same name. Home noise comes from there. The seated stand is covered, slightly off-centre, and includes season-ticket blocks plus space for families, disabled supporters and away sitters. Views are close; there is no running track. The west end is uncovered, so pack a coat if you are allocated that end on a wet National League North afternoon.

On-site parking is £5 a car, cash or contactless, or buy online in advance. It fills and empties slowly because cars and pedestrians share the same access off Grange Road, so allow extra time after the whistle. Blue Badge bays should be booked through the club ticket portal. Only vehicles heading for the official parks are let down the access road; drop-offs and taxis use Grange Road itself. Town-centre car parks are a 20–25 minute walk. Please do not park on verges or block residents.

Buses X26, X27 and 12 serve the Blackwell Grange Hotel stop, a short walk from the turnstiles. From Bank Top a taxi is typically only a few pounds. The clubhouse opens before kick-off with drinks, food and TVs; there are further kiosks by the Tin Shed and near the clubhouse (including pizza on some days). Programmes are sold just inside the turnstiles. Toilets are in the clubhouse and around the concourse. Wheelchair bays sit at the front of the seated stand; away wheelchair users use the away gates on segregated days.

Typical recent prices have been in the region of £16 standing / £18 seated for adults, with concessions and under-18s cheaper and under-12s free with a paying adult — always check darlingtonfc.co.uk before you travel, as figures change by season. Buy online if you can. Stewards are used to mixed crowds and the ground has a good reputation among travelling supporters. Arrive early if you want a rail spot or an unreserved seat, respect the Tin Shed as home territory, and you will have a straightforward, close-to-the-pitch afternoon in County Durham.