Colchester United are proud to have one of the most accessible stadiums in the EFL.
Opened in 2008, the stadium has a wide range of top class disabled facilities to make sure your visit is a safe and welcoming one.
Having secured the Football League Family Club of the Year award in 2015, the U's are keen to ensure that the stadium is a great environment for fans of all backgrounds and this section of the club website goes into more detail on how we might be able to help you!
Many questions about our provision for disabilities and special needs are documented below, but please do contact us on media@colchesterunited.net if you require any further information!
At Colchester United, we are conscious that a family day out can be an expensive experience, particularly if your child has additional needs which may mean that you might not always get to see the whole game.
We offer a disability concession price for adults who qualify for mid or higher Disability Living Allowance (DLA), with tickets starting at just £11 in advance of a match, along with a free entry for a carer/Personal Assistant (PA).
If your child qualifies for mid or higher DLA, then you will pay the cost of their ticket, with the parent/carer going for free.
Our tickets start at just £1.50 for an U11 and carer together, meaning that you could enjoy a great value day out.
Our prices vary, depending on how far in advance of a game that they’re bought, giving supporters the opportunity to saev on Matchday prices.
For more information on our prices for disabled supporters, please contact Chris Saward, Disabled Liaison Officer on 01206 755161 or chris.saward@colchesterunited.net.
What about the other parts of the day?
Match programme: Grab a programme when you enter the ground. Keep right up to date with everything at the club and maybe get your programme signed too!
Cost: Free to all ticket holders, £3 to purchase after games.
Parking: You can park right outside of the stadium for just £7 per vehicle. We have thirty two specifically designated disabled parking bays, along with many more in the main car park, which are within easy reach of the stadium.
If you've not been to the stadium before, it can sometimes be a daunting prospect.
Colchester United's Ticket Office staff are on site throughout the week and any questions you might have after reading our Disability Information pages can be answered by contacting ticketing@colchesterunited.net or by calling 01206 755161.
Pre-Visit Tours
Our staff are also able to show you around the stadium on non-match days, to help you familiarise yourself with what to expect when you come to visit us for a game.
Please contact us on the details above to organise a time that we can give you a show around!
On Matchdays
On matchdays themselves, our stewarding team are on hand to make your journey to your seat as simple as possible.
All of our wheelchair decks have lift access and dedicated toilets and our stewards will guide you safely to your destination.
If you are bringing a young fan to their first game, we would love to be able to make their visit one to remember.
We can include a welcome message to your child in the match programme and on the big screen – just drop us a line at media@colchesterunited.net and we’ll let you know what information we need!
Colchester United's stadium, opened in 2008, provides some great facilities for fans with disabilities or special needs.
Please note that it is advisable to contact the club in advance to obtain tickets if you are a wheelchair user, to avoid disappointment of them being fully booked by matchday. This can be done on the low call rate ticket hotline 01206 755161.
Wheelchair Users
The JobServe Community Stadium boasts elevated wheelchair gantries in all four stands, each with designated seats for an accompanying carer (Personal Assistant (PA)) who are admitted without charge, lift access, accessible toilets, a designated steward for assistance and all offering plenty of room for maneuverability.
Due to the gantry's raised positioning, fans are both 'high and dry' with an excellent view of the game at all times. Standing fans below will not impede your view.
There are 40 wheelchair and PA spaces around the stadium and away fans have their own elevated wheelchair gantry housed in the away end with the away fans.
Access to the West Stand wheelchair gantries is through the main reception where the lift to the first level can be found. Lifts in the other three stands are located underneath the concourses.
Blind/partially sighted supporters
Blind/partially sighted supporters can purchase tickets for all parts of the Stadium so long as they can get to and from their chosen seat without difficulty.
Blind/partially sighted supporters that wish to bring a PA can do so and again the PA will be admitted without charge.
Should fans wish to be provided with live commentary of the match through one of our commentary headsets, they are advised to contact the Disabled Liaison Officer Chris Saward on chris.saward@colchesterunited.net or 01206 755130 in advance.
Please note, blind/partially sighted supporters are able to sit anywhere in the stadium and listen to the Hospital Radio commentary of the day's match.
We regret that we have no facilities for assistance dogs at present although we do permit them into the ground. We do suggest however, that fans wishing to bring an assistance dog book their ticket in advance so we can be as accommodating as possible.
Deaf/hard of hearing supporters
Deaf or hard of hearing supporters can purchase tickets for all parts of the Stadium. All six Ticket Office windows have hearing loops fitted.
Ambulant Disabled supporters
Ambulant disabled fans can purchase tickets for all parts of the Stadium so long as they can get to and from their seat without difficulty.
Where there is a need to sit in a specific seat i.e. on the end of a row or where there are few or no steps, then please contact the Ticket Office directly to organise appropriate seating.
Accessible Toilets
As detailed above, all five wheelchair gantries have designated toilets with specific facilities for disabled fans. General toilets are located under the concourses in all the stands.
Changing Facilities
We are conscious that visitors with certain additional needs may require changing facilities suitable for children and adults during the course of the matchday.
We have a room available in the West Stand for such circumstances and would advise booking tickets in this part of the stadium if there is a possibility they may be required.
Our designated member of staff can be contacted by our stewarding team to then take your family to this safe and warm environment.
Catering
Catering facilities, which all have low level counters, are located on the ground floor under the concourse in all four stands. Although it must be noted that these facilities do get extremely busy at half time. For disabled supporters without a personal assistant, there will usually be a designated steward who will available to assist.
The JobServe Community Stadium is readily accessible from the A12, only a short drive from the main carriageway at Junction 28.
Once you are at the stadium site itself, there are thirty two accessible car parking spaces available for all supporters (both home and away) located right outside of the stadium.
These regularly sell out so disabled fans are advised to book these in advance on colutickets.com
Should these sell out, which they invariably do, our parking stewards will always do their best on the day to accommodate fans with accessibility needs at the front of our main car park which is now fully tarmacced and in close proximity to the stadium.
Parking costs £7 per car.
We also allow fans to drop off/pick up outside the stadium if necessary to allow ease of access.
Our full travel section on the club website can be found HERE.