Utilita Bowl Visitor Guide
Are you planning on visiting Utilita Bowl for cricket, concerts or an event soon?
To make the most of your visit, here's some top tips:
- Plan your journey to and from Utilita Bowl in advance and give yourself plenty of time to arrive.
- Use public transport or one of the venue's travel guidance where possible.
- Arrive at the venue early and plan to stay for a little bit of time after to allow road and pedestrian traffic to reduce.
- Read and follow our Grounds Regulations.
Take a look at our visitor guide for Evolution The Drone Light Show on Saturday 16th November, via the link below.
How To Be Here
You can be here for match and event days at Utilita Bowl by securing your place with tickets, hospitality or pitch-facing hotel bedrooms.
Hampshire Cricket Members receive access to Hampshire and Southern Vipers matches at Utilita Bowl.
Follow the relevant link above to find out more about each competition, or follow the link below to secure tickets to Utilita Bowl events.
Please note, some events hosted at Utilita Bowl are ticketed by different providers (i.e. The Hundred).
Click here to view the Seating Plan to see seating areas cricket matches at Utilita Bowl.
To view a list of Tickets & Matchday FAQs, click here.
Getting Here & Travel
Please plan your journey in advance to avoid delays in getting to Utilita Bowl.
Visitors are encouraged to use public transport options to travel to the venue, including Bluestar public bus services, and trains to Southampton Airport Parkway or Hedge End stations.
Free buses will be available for all fans travelling to and from Utilita Bowl to Southampton Airport Parkway Railway and Hedge End Railway Stations for Vitality Blast and The Hundred.
Limited on-site car parking is available to pre-book across Utilita Bowl's match and event days.
Visitors are urged to not park in local residential areas.
Find out more information about travel and getting to Utilita Bowl for the relevant competition via the link below.
Opening Times
Gates open at different times, depending on the competition or event day you are attending.
Vitality County Championship - 1 hour before match scheduled start.
Vitality Blast - 90 minutes before single fixture scheduled match start, or 1 hour before double header scheduled match start.
Metro Bank One Day Cup - 1 hour before match scheduled start.
Charlotte Edwards Cup & Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy - 1 hour before match scheduled start.
England Women's Interational Cricket - 2 hours before match scheduled start.
England Men's International Cricket - 3 hours before match scheduled start.
Utilita Bowl Fireworks Party - 6pm, 90 minutes before Fireworks display at 7:30pm
Evolution The Drone Light Show - 5:30pm, 2 hours before drone show at 7:30pm
Access & General Information
Ticket holders and hospitality bookers can access Utilita Bowl using the West Gate turnstiles. Scan the e-ticket sent to the relevant email address at the turnstiles to gain entry to the venue.
Hampshire Cricket Members (excl. Standard Members), Vitality Blast Passport and 3-Match Bundle holders can scan their Membership/Passport card via the West Gate turnstiles to gain access to cricket fixtures which they are entitled access to.
Upon arrival, please ensure you have your e-ticket or entry card at the ready.
Spectators are prohibited from walking onto the field of play.
Prohibited Items include - Alcohol, Glass, Cans, Musical Instruments, Flares, Laser Devices, Air Horns, Fireworks, Weapons, Whistles
Seating & Facilities
Seating at all domestic cricket fixtures (Hampshire Cricket and Southern Vipers) is unallocated (other than Ticket Plus & Hospitality).
Members' Area seating is reserved for Hampshire Cricket Members only for domestic cricket fixtures, these are located in blocks A, B, W, X and on the Roof Terrace.
The Arlott Atrium is open to all spectators, whilst the Derek Shackleton Bar will remain a reserved area for Hampshire Members, and the Robin Smith Suite reserved for Executive Club Members.
Seating is allocated for international cricket, The Hundred and Evolution The Drone Light Show.
An information point will be open in the Arlott Atrium for any queries that you may have, and will be open from gates opening until the close of play. Please note, any lost property should be handed in or collected from this information point.
A contemplation room is available as a shared facility for spectators, located under the Colin Ingleby-MacKenzie Stand.
Both a changing places facility and accessible toilets are located within the ground.
Utilita Bowl Store is open for all matchdays and can be located underneath the Shane Warne Stand, inside the West Gate.
Find the information point, Matchday Ticket Office, Utilita Bowl Store and more on the venue map ahead of your trip to the venue via the link below.
Food & Drink
Utilita Bowl serves the best food and drink in English cricket, as voted for by fans, and with new options available this year, it's unmissable at this summer's event days coming to the venue.
Food & drinks can be purchased in the Arlott Atrium (Rod Bransgrove Pavilion) and Derek Shackleton Suite (Members only), and the Boundary Bar (Hilton Hotel End) for Hampshire's Vitality County Championship matches, whilst these areas will operate as a bar on other domestic matchdays.
There will be a host of vegetarian, vegan. gluten-free and halal options available.
A large range of food & drink will be on offer across Utilita Bowl on matchdays for Vitality Blast, internationals and The Hundred. Check out what's on offer for these big matchdays via the food & drink guide via the link below.
BEEFY’S by Lord Botham Restaurant & Bar (located within Hilton Southampton - Utilita Bowl) serves food all day, and can be access via the main hotel entrance. To book a table or for more information, please contact the team on 02382 027097, via beefys@hiltonutilitabowl.com or online (via the link below).
Free-to-use water fountains are located at both ends of the Shane Warne Stand and the hotel end of the Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie Stand.
Taste Utilita Bowl's Ale of the Month from the bars available within the Rod Bransgrove Pavilion, in partnership with Greene King.
Utilita Bowl operates a strict ‘Challenge 25’ alcohol policy and as such anyone deemed to look Under 25 will be asked to provide photographic proof of age, prior to being served.
Utilita Bowl Store
Browse a range of replica kits, supporter wear, accessories and more from the on-site Utilita Bowl Store or online at store.utilitabowl.com.
The Store is located within the West Gate and also sells programmes and scorecards.
Check out what's in store via the link below.
Weather
Please click here to view the latest weather forecast for Southampton.
Umbrellas are permitted within Utilita Bowl.
Please note, in the event of inclement weather, any decision regarding cancelling or delaying play is made by the umpires and not the venue staff.
What happens if the match is reduced or called off? For more information about Utilita Bowl's Vitality Blast ticket refund policy, please follow the link below.
Additional Information
Utilita Bowl is a cashless venue.
All of the concession stands will be accepting contactless payments during all matchdays.
You can report any concerns or issues by alerting one of the stewarding team at the venue or by messaging 07782 331988 via SMS or Whatsapp.
