The 1st Central County Ground: visitor guide

Choose the view and the admission route together. Sussex’s stand guide identifies three permanent spectator buildings: Spen Cama Pavilion, Sharks Stand and South Stand. The Pavilion’s Long Room and Dining Room have their own conditions; an ordinary ground ticket does not grant members’ admission. Public Pavilion tickets and named hospitality provide published routes for eligible fixtures.

The wicket runs broadly north-north-east to south-south-west, from the Cromwell Road End towards the Sea End. The western Pavilion catches morning light and offers shade under cover after lunch. Sharks gets morning sunshine and mixed light later; South has a mix through the day. The northern and eastern temporary areas face more afternoon light. Compare the exact block, row and cover on the day’s map.

For families, the regulations place the Family Area at the north end for fifty-over and T20 matches. Adults must be accompanied by a child under eighteen to use it. Moderate alcohol is permitted in the family seating, but not on the walkway behind; this is not an alcohol-free stand. Choose the named area when booking and check what family activities operate for your fixture.

Temporary stands are installed around the Cromwell Road End for Blast, with other open or temporary viewing along the eastern boundary. Their blocks and configuration can change by season and event. The Family Area is a north-end match arrangement, not a fourth permanent stand building. Compare Sussex’s ground map with the actual booking plan.

Curry & Cricket includes allocated upper Pavilion seating with Dining Room hospitality. Boundary Package and Sharks Supper use the named hospitality area and outside viewing deck; the 50-Over Package has its own catering and seating. Check the product and fixture together. Sussex’s rules reserve ordinary members’ areas for the correct membership or Pavilion ticket, with a conditional fourth-day Championship Open Ground Day.

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Last checked: October 2026

Use Sussex’s official ticket account for the exact match and seating category. Championship and One-Day Cup admission have public and Pavilion distinctions; Blast is an allocated-seat purchase. Do not treat an ordinary admission ticket as a pass to the members’ rooms. Ask the ticket office about remaining places before relying on a walk-up purchase for a popular evening.

For England women v Bangladesh on 17 September 2027, the public ballot closed at midnight on 29 September 2026. Results and successful entrants’ buying links followed on 1 October, with their window ending at midnight on 9 October. The club announced general sale from 10 October at early-bird prices. Follow the official international announcement and ticket account for current availability; the published 12:30 start is provisional.

County and international prices are separate. Sussex’s published individual-match explainer is explicitly a 2025 guide: it describes Championship Day 1 as usually £20, One-Day Cup as usually £10–£20, men’s Blast or doubleheaders as usually £35, and standalone women’s Blast as usually £15. Use those as season-labelled examples, with individual 2027 tariffs TBC. Junior and promotional prices depend on the selected fixture.

Last checked: October 2026

The 2026 Blast Pass is a different product: £120 for adult members or £140 for other adults, £65 for under-eighteens and £35 for under-fourteens, covering six men’s and four women’s home group fixtures. It is not a single-match tariff. Check the next season’s package before comparing it with ordinary tickets.

Keep purchases and returned-ticket enquiries with Sussex. An official 2027 resale opening is TBC; ask the ticket team about its authorised route rather than buying an unsolicited code. Read the ballot and resale guide and rain guide alongside your actual booking conditions.

County membership

Sussex Membership is £290 for 2027 and admits you to home men's Championship cricket and men's and women's One-Day Cup group matches. Blast admission is separate from that package; the club's £600 Executive Membership for 2027 includes home group T20 cricket as well as the longer formats. Compare county memberships →

Sources: Sussex: Middlesex Blast match-day guide · Sussex: Gloucestershire One-Day Cup guide · Sussex: One-Day Cup hospitality · Sussex: ground regulations · Sussex: stands and facilities · Sussex: north-east gate information · Sussex: official ticket shop · National Rail: Hove station · Gatwick Airport: train connections · National Express: Brighton to London coaches

A Hove Championship day lets you settle into Sussex’s long-form cricket, while the One-Day Cup brings a fifty-over contest. The published 2025 individual-ticket guide describes Championship Day 1 as usually £20 and One-Day Cup admission as usually £10–£20. Later Championship days and junior categories depend on the fixture. Individual 2027 match tariffs are TBC; ask the ticket team about availability before planning a gate purchase.

The same 2025 guide describes men’s Blast and doubleheaders as usually £35, and standalone women’s Blast as usually £15. Junior tickets start at £5 for selected fixtures. As a separate 2026 example, the Blast Pass cost £120 for adult members or £140 for other adults, £65 for under-eighteens and £35 for under-fourteens, covering six men’s and four women’s home group fixtures. A pass and a single-match seat are different products.

Sussex Membership for 2027 is £290, with home men’s Championship and men’s and women’s One-Day Cup admission in the stated group programme. Executive Membership is £600 and adds home Blast group cricket and Executive facilities. Martlet is £135, then £12 for each Championship day or One-Day Cup group match. Under-25 membership is £150, under-eighteens £16 and under-fourteens £11; the club uses age on 1 September 2027. Choose the category for the cricket you expect to attend.

Spen Cama Pavilion is for members and valid Pavilion ticket holders. Ordinary ground admission excludes designated members’ areas. The club has a conditional fourth-day Championship Open Ground Day, with unreserved Pavilion seats and member priority; an all-ticket fixture requires its Pavilion ticket. Hosted upper-Pavilion seats are sold through named hospitality. Check guest and room entitlements separately.

Dogs on leads may attend Championship and non-floodlit fifty-over matches, excluding internationals. They must stay off the playing area and cannot enter places serving food or drink; assistance-dog exceptions apply. Sussex still used Arundel Castle in 2026: men’s One-Day Cup against Essex on 29 July and women’s against Middlesex on 2 August. The 2027 outground programme is TBC; use the official fixture’s venue before booking travel.

County cricket explained: choose a format and plan a day →

Official county-day information: Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 · Source 4 · Source 5

County matches also take place at Arundel Castle Cricket Ground. Follow the individual ground guide for its match dates, travel and festival arrangements.

Sussex Sharks Women advertised free entry for Worcestershire’s One Day Cup visit to Hove on 19 April 2026. Other women’s dates and double-headers have their own admission arrangements. Hove women’s fixture source · Women’s county teams and tickets.

Last checked: October 2026

Pack for the format. The current ground regulations prohibit outside alcohol at every Blast, One-Day Cup and international match, plus any other match the club designates. At other eligible matches, the allowance is four 500ml cans of beer or lager, or one 75cl bottle of wine. These are alternatives. No further alcohol may be brought in on re-entry; excess alcohol can be confiscated and will not be returned.

Sussex’s Championship spectator guides permit your own food and beverages, making a picnic a useful option for that format. Check the current fixture’s entry guide for Blast, One-Day Cup and England matches before packing food or containers. Ask Sussex before bringing glass, a rigid cool box or bulky luggage. Current cricket-specific glass rules, numerical bag dimensions and cool-box permission are TBC here; use the club’s ticket team to settle an unusual item.

The Family Area allows moderate purchased alcohol under its rules; the walkway behind it does not. There is no T20 readmission, so have what you need ready before entering. The ground-rules comparison helps you pack for the ground and format you actually booked.

Last checked: October 2026

Hove Museum of Creativity combines a museum with a garden. Royal Pavilion is a historic royal palace. Brighton Palace Pier is a seafront pier to visit on a separate outing.

On a day without cricket, choose between Hove Museum of Creativity, Royal Pavilion and Brighton Palace Pier. Give the museum, Pavilion or pier a place in a separate morning or rest day. A rain delay can leave you with less time after the cricket than the programme suggests.

Sixes Bar is a named choice for food around the match. Check its menu and service arrangements for your date, keeping the meal time adjustable after an evening game. Official Hove tourism lists more attractions, exhibitions and events for your stay; check each venue’s own opening information before setting out.

Sussex expects the county fixture list towards the end of November 2026; check the official fixtures for team and venue. Gate opening and individual 2027 county tariffs are TBC. Arundel Castle was used for men’s and women’s One-Day Cup cricket in 2026; its 2027 allocation is TBC, so check the venue before booking travel.

2027 county fixtures

• County Championship 2027 fixtures
• Vitality Blast 2027 fixtures
• One-Day Cup 2027 fixtures
• Women’s county cricket 2027 fixtures

What is the County Ground, Hove called now?

Sussex’s official ground and events pages use the 1st Central County Ground. County Ground, Hove is the same venue on Eaton Road.

Which station is nearest?

Hove is nearest. Sussex gives a ten-minute walk via Goldstone Villas and Eaton Road. Brighton is a separate approach, with an onward train or bus option.

Can I park at the ground?

There is no public match-day parking, including accessible parking. Nearby street parking is limited; compare Norton Road Car Park and read the local restrictions.

Can I bring my own alcohol?

None is allowed at Blast, One-Day Cup or internationals. At other eligible matches, the limit is four 500ml cans of beer/lager or one 75cl bottle of wine, with none on re-entry.

Is the family area alcohol-free?

No. The north-end Family Area is for spectators accompanied by an under-18 and permits moderate alcohol in the seating, but not on the walkway behind.

Are dogs allowed at county cricket?

Dogs on leads may attend Championship and non-floodlit fifty-over matches, excluding internationals. They cannot enter the playing area or places serving food or drink; assistance-dog rules are separate.

Do I need to print my ticket?

Sussex’s 2021 guidance allowed mobile downloads or printed tickets; follow the delivery instructions for the ticket you buy now. Contact the Sussex ticket office before travelling if your phone dies or you cannot open the ticket.

What time do the gates open?

The 2023 One-Day Cup guide opened gates at 09:30 and the 25 May 2026 women’s international T20 at 13:00. Check your match guide for the current fixture’s opening.

What time does play finish?

The 2026 Blast guide estimates a 22:00 finish; the 2023 One-Day Cup guide expected 18:45. Play can finish early or run late.

Can children go on their own?

Sussex’s 2025 regulations allow the club to refuse entry to an unaccompanied child if it considers attendance unsafe; they give no fixed minimum age. Contact Sussex before booking for a child who would attend alone.

Arrange accessible viewing and the free carer ticket with Sussex before buying. The Pavilion has a rear ramp and lift, and the ground has Changing Places and selected-match sensory support. Read the Hove accessibility guide.

First visit · Sun and shade · What you can take in · If it rains · Ballots and resale · Taking the family · County cricket explained