Hi all

So Covid has made me fall out of love with footy to such an extent that I’ve not renewed my season ticket with a Prem Club.

At the same time I’ve remembered how much I used to enjoy cricket and I’ve spent the summer watching on the TV and managed a few days out at Edgbaston and Headingley.

I’ve enjoyed it so much that I’m thinking of taking a Bears Membership but I was hoping someone could help me out with a couple of questions?

A) Tom Dollery Lounge or Skyline East Lounge? Just wondering what each one is like? The Skyline East looks more expensive?

B) Do I need to take the England and Bears Mebership to effectively guarantee a seat for the England games and the Vitality Finals Day? I’ve seen that on the other memberships you get access to a priority window and wondering if that was enough to get me a seat?

C) Do Members have to have seats in the Members Stands and if so are there any dress restrictions? I’m a social guy so I like a drink (not to excess!) but I wouldn’t want to he anywhere were that seemed out of place (if that makes sense).

D) Newbie question what are the knockout games that Members don’t get access to?

E) Can you get guest tickets to join you if you are in a Members area or is it strictly Members only?

Sorry for all the questions but thought I post here before giving the club a ring (which was problematic over the Summer; but I’m assuming that was covid related rather than normal?)

Thanks in advance :)

Hi Phil,

A) Skyline and Tom Dollery have good views of the pitch. There's a bar in the Dollery that's open every match. The Dollery is accessible for all members for all domestic games.

B) Priority window should be enough I'd have thought, I don't go international fixtures. Shouldn't be an issue.

C) Sit pretty much wherever you like anywhere in the ground for virtually all domestic fixtures. If there is a dress code I'm not aware of it. I'm normally cutting about the place in t-shirt and shorts. Occasionally a vest. Yeah drink wherever. I think there is an alcohol free stand (Family Stand), most grounds have them now I believe.

D) I'm not sure what you mean mate. If Bears get to the Quarter Finals of the Blast for example, members can purchase tickets for that game. In 2015 members got to attend that fixture for free.

E) Yeah you can bring guests into members areas. I've done it myself with 1 or 2 mates on various occasions.

Thanks for that Andy, it’s really helpful. I think then I’ll go for the full membership option and hope for priority tickets :)

I’d also like to get to see a few hundred games too (sorry red ball fans!) I saw there was an option for The Hundred and Blast only but the Blast games are included in the Membership so I’ll have to ask if there is an option just for the Hundred

Good to see new members joining, welcome.

A few things that I'd add:

A) As the name suggests, the Skyline is the stand that's at the very top of the pavilion. The view is very impressive but can also be a bit distant, and it can get cold up there (there isn't a lounge on the Skyline, Tom Dollery is the nearest one). I like going there sometimes - I'm not sure if the rules have changes or if I inadvertently broke them in the past but I've been up there for T20 and Championship games using my regular membership.

B) I haven't bought tickets to an England game for a while, but you'll definitely be able to get tickets to Finals Day with the members' priority window. The seats in the Tom Dollery area do sell quite quickly but no problems in the rest of the ground.

E) You get four guest passes per season to use for any Championship, One Day or T20 match which means you can bring a friend into the ground for free. I don't think there's anything to stop you bringing a paying guest into the members' areas though.