Last updated : 15 February 2005 By Rave On Line Editor
• Issue 2
• Alloa Derby Special
• February 16th
RAVE ON LINE
The Independant Online Football Fanzine of Stirling Albion F.C.
A Students Guide To Stranraer by Robin Bairner
Robin starts a new series of articles for Rave On Line with a Students Guide to Stranraer. It is a quick and easy guide to the southern ferry port town to all students in a language that should be understandable. This guide is based on a student living in Stirling.
Student Exchange Rate
£1 = half a pint
20 minutes = 1 pint
Getting There:
Getting there: As we all know Stranraer is about as easy to get to as a 9 o’clock lecture and much less pleasurable. You are basically left with 4 options; supporters bus (6 pints), lift (free, hopefully), train (8 pints - if you have a Young Persons Railcard) or, if you’ve had a particularly big night out on the Friday and somehow ended up in Belfast, ferry (3 weeks worth of loan). All of these options leave you no option but a late start, normally about 10am, which could mean staggering to a bus stop, train station or ferry terminal instead of your bed from the pub (I’m looking at you Froggy).
Time spent getting there is also a major issue. Supporter’s bus will take about 13 pints, although the road has been found to be vomit inducing in the past, while the train takes about the same when a stop in Glasgow is included but this option has the bonus of being able to drink cider all the way down. Getting a lift is the best option as it means you can be in and out as quickly as possible but the twisty road still has to be negotiated.
Pints spent taking Travel into Account
What to do there:
Drink: In terms of timescale expect to spend longer than you want in Stranraer if you take the Supporter’s Bus or train (unfortunately it’s not as simple as turning up at 3pm and leaving at 4.45). On Saturday’s Stranraer is about as lively as your normal student at 12 o’clock midday on a Sunday. The small town doesn’t exactly have a vast array of pubs to choose from but the imaginatively named “The Pub” does about exactly what it says on the tin. Pints were reasonably priced and although no food was on offer there was a pool table. The Stranraer Supporter’s club is a good destination at the end of the game with cheap pints and a fairly comfortable surrounding, if a little no thrills. However, when the home team lose, don’t expect too many Blues in to wind up.
Food: Pre-match, Tesco’s is always the safe bet for a half decent munch. Post-match there are numerous fish and chip shops to chose from, the one nearest the Stranny Supporter’s Club, although decent enough, is like something out of Little Britain and supply you with enough vinegar on your food to make you gag.
In Stair Park itself no food was tasted, although there was the “is it a he/ is it a she?” game to play with the folk serving the food in their wee hut.
Pints Spent taking into account spending time in Stranraer
Scamming your way into the Ground Opportunities
Plentiful. Managed to get in as a 15 year old, and therefore for 2.5 pints. Always use your ingenuity, even if it means pointing at Baz Mac and claiming that you’re in his class at school. Chances are it’ll work.
Pints spent taking Scamming Opportunities into Account
Overall Cost
Off course you now have to spend hours waiting for the train back to Stirling, but obviously if you have have drunk all those pints you will be struggling to remember this return journey and also how much you have drunk and spent.
Total Cost (Money)
Total Cost (Time)
Train = 8 pints Food (from Tesco) = 1 pint Food (from chip shop) = 1.5 pints Drinks = 4 pints To get into ground = 2.5 pints TOTAL = 16 pints – ouch
Train = 21 pints Train Station to Pub = 1 pint (x2) Pub to ground = negligible Time Spent in Pub = 12 pints TOTAL = 35 pints
So overall, going to Stranraer is going to take a huge chunk from your drinking budget, mean you’ll be virtually straight out the door when you get in from the night before and probably cause you to be sick if you go by car – but when you see your team win 3-0 it’s worth it.
Found in Girvan
Warning from Tourist Board
This picture was found in a hotel in Girvan wanted dead or alive for not paying for bar lunch.
This warning was given to Rave On Line after they found this article on our site.
