Wembley revisited

As a child, my mother grew up within a mile of Wembley Stadium.

She was born in 1930, seven years after the original stadium (then called the Empire Stadium) was built on acres of green fields. (There is a fabulous picture, taken in 1922 before construction began, that shows just how rural the area was.)

There must have been a huge building programme between the wars because the entire area is now densely populated with houses that were clearly designed and built in the Twenties and Thirties, with not a Victorian or Edwardian property in sight.

I mention this because I had to go to Wembley on Wednesday for a meeting with Forest’s accountants who are based on an industrial estate which is even closer to the stadium, but on the other side.

For decades they were based at York House, a typical Sixties office block that directly overlooked the stadium.

From their eleventh floor office I saw the old stadium being demolished, and then watched as the new stadium, with its enormous arch, gradually took shape until it was finally completed.

The new stadium opened in 2007 (I took this photo the following year) and ten years ago a small, semi-outdoor shopping centre, the London Design Outlet (LDO), was built adjacent to York House and the stadium.

Blocks of modern executive flats, many with feature balconies, have since been built around the stadium and along Wembley Way, the wide pedestrian boulevard that connects Wembley Stadium with the railway station of the same name.

In the last few years York House (renamed Dandi Wembley) has been converted from an office block and is now described as a ‘new high-rise residential development’ with luxury and high end apartments, although I believe there is some work space on the top floors.

Meanwhile the only reminder of the ‘old’ Wembley complex is the grade 2 listed Wembley Arena, formerly the Empire Pool, a 12,000 seat venue that was built for the 1934 Empire Games and now hosts rock and pop concerts.

I’m impressed with the way they’ve transformed the area around the stadium. It’s arguably a bit soulless, but it’s nevertheless a huge improvement on what was there before.

Below: The Hive office building, completed in 2021, with the Wembley Stadium arch behind it.

The problem when a big match is on is access. I was one of those who thought the new national stadium should be built on a brand new site - off the M40, perhaps - so it would be far more accessible to people with cars.

Currently, the best way to get to Wembley Stadium is probably by train, using Chiltern Railway to get to the railway station. Alternatively, you can get to Wembley Park Underground station via the Metropolitan or Jubilee lines.

What I do know is that leaving the area either by road or rail immediately after a game can take ages thanks to the traffic and the crowds.

So in future, if I was to go to another match at Wembley Stadium, here’s what I’d do.

Assuming I knew the date of the match well in advance, I would immediately book a room in one of the hotels - Premier Inn or Holiday Inn - that are within the Wembley Park complex, minutes from the stadium.

(If you want to see England v Italy on Tuesday October 17, you can currently book one of the last remaining rooms at Premier Inn London Wembley Stadium for £181.50 non-refundable, or £199 flexible.)

If it’s an evening match I would arrive and check-in early, five or six hours before the game. Later, I would enjoy a stress free pre-match dinner, booked in advance if possible, at one of the restaurants in the London Design Outlet.

After the game I’d have a drink in one of the bars before retiring to my hotel.

The cost of parking in the Wembley Park car park is, I believe, £50 on match days (a huge increase on the normal price), but it’s arguably worth it for the convenience of driving to the stadium early and leaving the next morning after the crowds have gone home.