Christie Gillies Park is a stadium located in Muirhouse in the north of Edinburgh and is home to Lowland League side Civil Service Strollers FC. Strollers have been playing there since 1957, though only since 2015 has the ground been enclosed and separate from the nearby public park. Christie Gillies Park has a capacity of 1596, of which just under 100 are seated in a small stand on the northern side of the pitch. The dugouts are situated on the south side of the field and spectator standing areas are available around all four sides. Floodlights were erected in 2019 in order to meet SFA licensing criteria.
ATMOSPHERE – 2/5
Civil Service Strollers tend to only draw crowds of around 250, which is relatively average for the level of football, but not conducive to an electrifying atmosphere at Christie Gillies Park. However, the overall atmosphere amongst spectators is good-natured, with unsegregated home and away fans often light-heartedly noising each other up.
TICKET PRICES – 5/5
Adult match tickets are £8 for standard Strollers league games, with £5 concession options also available. Cash and card payments are accepted on the gate as well as pre-match online ticketing options available via the ‘Fanbase’ app. Football is at its best when fans back their teams and fans back their teams when tickets are affordable, so Civil Service Strollers offer a great day out for a low price.
FOOD & DRINK OPTIONS – 3/5
Standard mince pies, snacks, and hot and cold drinks are available both at the pitchside kiosk and cafe bar in the main building. The pies are nice enough and reasonably priced at around £2, though Strollers could probably do with offering more in the hot food department (mind you, it’s likely cost-ineffective due to smaller attendances.
AWAY FANS EXPERIENCE – 3/5
Due to the lack of spectator segregation, away fans can expect the same experience as home supporters. The ground is, however, quite tricky to find for newcomers and completely hidden from view of passers by. Supporters have to walk two minutes round the back of the adjacent World of Football building in order to reach Christie Gillies Park and the narrow path can oftentimes be very muddy and slippery in the winter months. Recent efforts have been made to improve the unusual walk, such as fitting steps over a grassy slope fans used to have to walk up, but it is still an inconvenience and a potential dealbreaker for supporters with mobility issues.
PUBS NEARBY – 4/5
Sadly, there are no pubs within walking distance of the ground. But fear not! Civil Service Strollers’ cafe bar is open to spectators before the match, at half time, and after the match serving a range of alcoholic drinks just a short walk from the pitch. The bar is usually pretty busy before and after a game, with both home and away supporters enjoying a drink together.
TRANSPORT LINKS – 4/5
Free parking is available in both the World of Football car park right next to the ground and nearby residential streets. There are also a number of bus routes linking Christie Gillies Park to and from the city centre (16, 8, 27, 14) and Edinburgh Airport (200). Christie Gillies is about as far north as you can go in Edinburgh but still easily accessible by public transport from the city centre within around 30 minutes.
OVERALL
Christie Gillies Park is a nice, modest ground in the north of Edinburgh and a great place to enjoy some lower league action in the capital. It boasts a well-kept grass surface, something which Football Culture Club are big advocates of, and offers seating and shelter for supporters in wet conditions. Despite the slightly awkward walk to reach the pitch, Christie Gillies Park redeems itself due to its excellent cafe bar open to supporters from two hours before kick off. The Strollers have established themselves as strong competitors in the Lowland League so any visit to Christie Gillies is sure to be an entertaining one at the very least.
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