Chesterfield pub brings back coach travel for Spireites football fans travelling to away matches

Dan and Sophie Orton, tenants of The Bridge Inn on Hollis Lane, have set up the venture on the back of a successful bus trip to Wembley in May that they organised.

Sophie, whose pub has a 24-hour licence, said: “We will be hosting all the Saturday and bank holiday matches. The only ones we won't be hosting are the Tuesday away matches. Tomorrow (Saturday, August 12) Chesterfield Spireites are at Flyde so we open at 6am, the fans will leave here at 8am and will have a couple of hours in Blackpool where they will be able to wander around to get some food and drink. The coach will take them from Blackpool to Fylde to watch the game then return to The Bridge Inn.

"We hire the coach and do all the legwork. For Fylde we charge £20 a ticket, Altrincham which is in a couple of weeks will be £20 and when we are down in Ebbsfleet, the price will go up a slight bit. We dedicate a person to be in charge of the coach; tomorrow my dad will be in charge and in a couple of weeks’ time when my dad is unable to make it, there will be another family member at the forefront.”

Sophie said The Bridge Inn Spireites Away Travel company has been well received by fans. "It's gone down fantastically. A lot of people are happy that a coach is leaving from The Bridge Inn again. It's brought old and new customers back in.”

Coach trips to football matches used to be run from The Bridge Inn but when the pub closed, its travel business transferred to The Barrel Inn, Chatsworth Road, on the other side of town. Sophie said: “Bridge Inn Blues Travel have decided to stay where they are at The Barrel Inn and have changed their name to The Barrel Inn Blues Travel. The Barrel Inn will be doing every single away match. We have spoken to Paul at The Barrel Inn and he is happy with what is going on.”

Dan and Sophie, who took over the tenancy of the pub last winter, are pleased that The Bridge Inn have also welcomed back a Sunday league football team for the new season. Sophie said: “We’ve sponsored their shirts. As of this September we willl be the host of a league one division one Sunday league team. When they play at home they and their away team will come to us on the Sunday where we will put food on for them.”

For further information about Chesterfield FC fans’ coach travel to away matches, go to www.facebook.com/Bridge-Inn-Spireites-Away-Travel-101222059714523?locale=en_GB