Going to the O2 tommorow...any shops or similar near by?
Discussion
Going to watch the B Ball at the arena with my 9 year old tommorow. Tip off at 6pm and we are driving from Reading so plan to leave plenty of time for crappy traffic and get there early. Just wondered....if we get there real early is there anything there apart from the arena? I see theres a few places to eat in the venue...but any shops to wander round that are walking distance? Dont want to get on tubes etc....just want to kill some time for an hour or so.
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Tiggsy said:
Going to watch the B Ball at the arena with my 9 year old tommorow. Tip off at 6pm and we are driving from Reading so plan to leave plenty of time for crappy traffic and get there early. Just wondered....if we get there real early is there anything there apart from the arena? I see theres a few places to eat in the venue...but any shops to wander round that are walking distance? Dont want to get on tubes etc....just want to kill some time for an hour or so.
T
No shops apart from the merchandise shop there.T
Plenty of places to eat though.
Could try the BME (british musical experience) if you need something to do, or the bodies exhibition, or go watch a movie.
For shops you need to hop on the jubilee line to canary wharf
Edited by GCH on Friday 14th August 01:13
As above, they're no shops within the venue - but many eating places - from fast food through to sitty-down places. When an event is on it's best to get in one early as they do get very busy and the queues build up towards the start of the event.
Also, make sure you park as near to the exit of the car park as you can - getting out can be a real time-consuming pain if everyone else is trying to do it at the same time.
Also, make sure you park as near to the exit of the car park as you can - getting out can be a real time-consuming pain if everyone else is trying to do it at the same time.
This may be a daft question, but why on earth are you driving? 
I know it's the summer holidays, so there won't be as much traffic, but Reading to East London during rush hour is still going to be hell, isn't it? I would've thought half an hour to Paddington followed by 20 minutes on the tube would be a much better option, plus it means you can stop off somewhere on the way (maybe Waterloo and go and look round Southbank, the London Eye etc) rather than limiting yourself to the pleasures of the industrial wastelands that surround the O2.
I know it's the summer holidays, so there won't be as much traffic, but Reading to East London during rush hour is still going to be hell, isn't it? I would've thought half an hour to Paddington followed by 20 minutes on the tube would be a much better option, plus it means you can stop off somewhere on the way (maybe Waterloo and go and look round Southbank, the London Eye etc) rather than limiting yourself to the pleasures of the industrial wastelands that surround the O2.
Tiggsy said:
Going to watch the B Ball at the arena with my 9 year old tommorow. Tip off at 6pm and we are driving from Reading so plan to leave plenty of time for crappy traffic and get there early. Just wondered....if we get there real early is there anything there apart from the arena? I see theres a few places to eat in the venue...but any shops to wander round that are walking distance? Dont want to get on tubes etc....just want to kill some time for an hour or so.
T
I'm also there tomorrow!!! A tip for parking, head for car park 1, its only £3 to park all day where as the others are £20. T
Kermit power said:
This may be a daft question, but why on earth are you driving?
I know it's the summer holidays, so there won't be as much traffic, but Reading to East London during rush hour is still going to be hell, isn't it? I would've thought half an hour to Paddington followed by 20 minutes on the tube would be a much better option, plus it means you can stop off somewhere on the way (maybe Waterloo and go and look round Southbank, the London Eye etc) rather than limiting yourself to the pleasures of the industrial wastelands that surround the O2.
Agree with Kermit, your drive in is going to be hellish. It took me nearly four hours to get back to Basingstoke from Docklands on Saturday. Having said that the drive home shouldnt be too bad, I'm guessing it'll be coming up to nine-ish by the time you leave? You should be early enough to avoid the idiot train home from London that'll be chock full of piss-heads.I know it's the summer holidays, so there won't be as much traffic, but Reading to East London during rush hour is still going to be hell, isn't it? I would've thought half an hour to Paddington followed by 20 minutes on the tube would be a much better option, plus it means you can stop off somewhere on the way (maybe Waterloo and go and look round Southbank, the London Eye etc) rather than limiting yourself to the pleasures of the industrial wastelands that surround the O2.
philwhite said:
Tiggsy said:
Going to watch the B Ball at the arena with my 9 year old tommorow. Tip off at 6pm and we are driving from Reading so plan to leave plenty of time for crappy traffic and get there early. Just wondered....if we get there real early is there anything there apart from the arena? I see theres a few places to eat in the venue...but any shops to wander round that are walking distance? Dont want to get on tubes etc....just want to kill some time for an hour or so.
T
I'm also there tomorrow!!! A tip for parking, head for car park 1, its only £3 to park all day where as the others are £20. T
Don't even think about hanging around the O2 if you are early. Nothing to do accept expensive (chain) restaurants and bars. It is crap!
Head to Greenwich or Blackheath, 10 minutes drive (max) from the O2. More to do in Greenwich, but less touristy in Blackheath.
Loads of parking at Greenwich Park (in betweenGreenwich and Blackheath) - and not too expensive (no more than £5 for a couple of hours from memory).
Head to Greenwich or Blackheath, 10 minutes drive (max) from the O2. More to do in Greenwich, but less touristy in Blackheath.
Loads of parking at Greenwich Park (in betweenGreenwich and Blackheath) - and not too expensive (no more than £5 for a couple of hours from memory).
Greenwich Village is just down the road and has a few shops, bars restaurants. Not really walking distance though.
As above though, Friday afternoon traffic will be mad, just jump on the train. Bakerloo line 3 stops to Baker St, then Jubilee line all the way almost to the door of the O2.
If you have to drive it may even be quicker do M25 all the way around, then A20-A2 into Greenwich (as long as there's no delays on the M25, which there probably will be).
As above though, Friday afternoon traffic will be mad, just jump on the train. Bakerloo line 3 stops to Baker St, then Jubilee line all the way almost to the door of the O2.
If you have to drive it may even be quicker do M25 all the way around, then A20-A2 into Greenwich (as long as there's no delays on the M25, which there probably will be).
Neil_H said:
I don't think it's £3 if there's an event on.
It is, as we've parked there the last two concerts we've been to, someone pointed it out to us after we'd been pre booking the main car park at around £20, I think it may be operated as a station car park for the tube as its not mentioned on the website? Its just pay and display, £3 at weekends, £6 during the week. Neil_H said:
philwhite said:
evenflow said:
I've just booked a day's parking in car park 1 for an event and it was £17.50
I must have got the numbers muddled, whichever one is next to North Greenwich tube is £3 all day on Saturdays.philwhite said:
Neil_H said:
I don't think it's £3 if there's an event on.
It is, as we've parked there the last two concerts we've been to, someone pointed it out to us after we'd been pre booking the main car park at around £20, I think it may be operated as a station car park for the tube as its not mentioned on the website? Its just pay and display, £3 at weekends, £6 during the week. 
If it's the one I think it is, we parked on that last time we went there. Only problem is it's quite small, we had to wait ages for a space (that was on a Saturday though, no event on).philwhite said:
Neil_H said:
I don't think it's £3 if there's an event on.
It is, as we've parked there the last two concerts we've been to, someone pointed it out to us after we'd been pre booking the main car park at around £20, I think it may be operated as a station car park for the tube as its not mentioned on the website? Its just pay and display, £3 at weekends, £6 during the week. Car park 2 is also cheaper but on arena/concert nites they often won't let you in there and they will send you to car park 1 which is £20 drive up fee (or 17.50 advance)>
I am fortunate enough not to have to use any of them as I have a staff parking pass so park round the back of the arena
However, the trade off is I actually have to work...Edited by GCH on Friday 14th August 11:39
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