Gregan · @Gregan
16th Jun 2022 from TwitLonger
Gregan's local Guide to the RLCS Major in London
Gregan’s Guide to RLCS London
— Travel and Accommodation —
With most of you having your Accommodation set, let's talk about travelling. This guide is written with Stratford, the area that the Copperbox resides, in mind.
Airport travel:
For those travelling in by plane, here's the best methods to get to Stratford from each London airport:
Heathrow - Elizabeth Line or Heathrow Express to Paddington then Elizabeth Line via Liverpool Street to Stratford.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qjiP6dE9g8nnmZpz6
Gatwick - Train to London Bridge. Underground (Jubilee) to Stratford. Other routes are possible too.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XB2qzauaUVfTT1B39
Stansted - Stansted Express to Liverpool Street then Elizabeth Line or Underground (Central) to Stratford.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/V4uW3ESP5jc2ak9z8
London City - DLR or bus.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wdeU66ouMVNBtbho8
London Luton - Unlucky.
By Underground or Bus:
To travel around London you can tap in and out of stations using contactless cards or mobile pay (Google Pay/ Apple Pay etc) for easy payment. You could also get an Oyster travel card at most big stations and add credit to it which allows you to tap in and out. All public transport in London and from airports allow for tapping in and out. Travel outside of London will require a different system and may need tickets or day passes.
Stratford is the nearest large station to Copperbox and about a 15 minute walk from it. You will walk by Westfield, a large shopping mall, en route to Copperbox, which is worth visiting for your daily needs. Many of the hotels you might be staying in will be around the Westfield and Stratford station area.
Stratford Station to Copperbox: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y17pGzHqvfMUJ5DT8
Stratford International is also 15 minute walk from Copperbox and has a train direct from St Pancras for those travelling into Kings Cross or St Pancras like the Eurostar or from Midlands/North: https://maps.app.goo.gl/235j53KQUEAf6wMT9
Hackney Wick is the closest station to Copperbox but has much fewer routes to it and is a much smaller station. You can take a train from Stratford to Hackney Wick, but I still recommend walking from Stratford station, if you are able to, as it's a nice walk and takes less time generally.
If you are ever unsure, most default maps services are pretty good (I use Google), "City Mapper" is an amazing app for London travel and makes using the underground much clearer for less experienced London travellers.
For taxis:
Uber and Bolt are 2 apps you can book taxis with but can have mixed results in London. If you see a "black cab" taxi with its lights on, you can wave it down or approach and use it and they are the best taxis in London (can be more expensive, depending on the app-based taxi’s surcharges). During the day, the Underground and sometimes buses are still the best methods of transport.
— Eating and bars —
Westfield during the day will have pretty much everything you need, 2 food courts, a restaurant area and loads of restaurants outside which you'll walk past from Stratford station to Copperbox. I won't go into details on nicer food places (@mattellsworth on twitter is planning to do this for you all) Just know that Westfield will be good for quick easy refuelling and plenty of options, but can get busy around Lunchtime with the shoppers.
One place I will recommend is Rule Zero. It's one of the closest places to Copperbox and is where I do my Pokemon card group and regularly take friends for board games or drinks, it's genuinely just a nice bar with food and activities.
They do great food, drinks, cocktails, coffees, pool table, board games and a lovely setting looking towards the olympic park. There are some nice bars and food in Hackney Wick too so have an explore, but RZ is top tier!
Rule Zero: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6pYRTkMEwwzPKmj48
If you are looking for bars or clubs, Stratford isn't great for that but does have a few options if you don't want to travel too far like The Cow or Bat and Ball. (it's a bit of a meme with Stratford events that everyone ends up at the casino, not to gamble but because it's the best bar in the area.)
Instead, I recommend travelling to Shoreditch which is really easy to get to from Stratford as you take the Elizabeth Line or Central line to Liverpool Street. This area is very young and trendy and a great area for going out (I frequently go out or go to parties in this area).
Stratford Station to Shoreditch area:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JaeUtTDhp8kQxsKH9
In the Shoreditch area I recommend Platform during the day as a gaming bar where you can play on consoles, retro consoles, watch streams and have good vibes. They do cocktails and pizza and are close to a lot of clubs so might be the start of a great night!
Platform Gaming bar:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PMRKSWBQomHj344cA
During the evening the Shoreditch area has soooo many clubs and bars. The advantage is a night bus, night central line or taxi back to stratford is pretty easy from here. Check on maps at the end of a night to see the best route home or just taxi for safety if unsure.
— Tourism —
For those staying a bit longer before or after and want to see the touristy area of London, Stratford thankfully is well connected to central London. I have two 30-60 min walks I recommend:
London Eye/Big Ben/Westminster Abbey/St James' Park/Buckingham Palace:
I recommend taking the Jubilee line from Stratford to Waterloo. From here walk to London Eye and you'll be able to take a 20 minute walk from there to Buckingham Palace seeing all the sites above.
Stratford to Waterloo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/peU5j9HJD5vsBHfi9
London Eye to Buckingham Palace
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5BFuMHZroPv3u3zB6
St Paul's Cathedral/Tower Bridge/Shard/Tower of London:
Another great area to walk around is from St Paul's Cathedral down to the river then along the River Thames where you'll see the Shard and Tower Bridge from London Bridge and you'll come to Towers of London as well as cross Tower Bridge and walk back to the Shard. If you can, book going up the Shard for the best view of London!
London Bridge station by Shard goes directly back to Stratford too.
Stratford to St Pauls:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xcFksYJvmcsi7oqx6
Walk from St Pauls via Tower Bridge to Shard:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KbGJLXgHCYa28en68
Shard to Stratford:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/r7wxQ6VvQ8F3LpMe7
View from the shard booking:
https://www.theviewfromtheshard.com/
Olympic park:
With Copperbox being a part of the Olympic Park, those who are interested in sports events and stadiums will enjoy checking out the area. I took my dad around the other day for about an hour and they now have a Tourist Information for it:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WEkVZ67X8fNYMYfY6
Other tourist stuff:
If you are into museums, art, musicals/plays, shopping, street performers or anything, It's probably in London. Have a search online and then get on public transport there. It's super easy to get around London with the underground or buses, just use city mapper or other maps apps.
https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do
— Enjoying the Event —
Watching the Studio days:
For those who are in London Wednesday to Friday and want to watch the studio days of RLCS with others, be sure to look out for viewing parties that might be happening. If not, gather some friends together and find a bar and watch it on a pad or laptop. You’ll have way more fun watching with friends and can start thinking up some chants to bring out at the Weekend.
Chanting:
As many of you know, London crowds are known for their chanting. During this event, many chants will be created and used for the players, the casters, the crowd, the teams or even just a security guard who’s a legend. Get involved at the event and be sure to enjoy screaming your favourite chants.
Meeting people:
Whether you are meeting pros, casters or content creators or someone you know through discord, be respectful of everyone. The Rocket League community is very kind and inclusive and I am sure everyone is as excited to be there as you. If you don’t know many people, say hi to those sitting around you. Remember you all have 1 thing in common and I am sure there are many other things so let’s make this event as fun and inclusive for everyone!
Wifi:
Most public spaces, including the Copperbox, have WiFi as long as you click consent 😳
Weather:
Could be anything from raining and cold to sunny and hot, most likely the latter as it's July. The walk to Copperbox is quite exposed so be sure to prepare for a sunny or rainy walk and check the weather before departing.
Venue Food and Drink:
The venue is quite isolated from eating places and is quite expensive inside so be sure to drink plenty of water and eat before you head over. According to my research (which could be proven incorrect as RLCS is a longer event than most), there are no water refill stations in the venue and you aren’t allowed to bring food and drink in. It also says they have the right to confiscate bottles, cans or glasses so you may have to buy water in the venue. Normally you can ask for tap water for free in the UK, but just be warned that you should hydrate/eat before you arrive in case they follow standard event protocol! The standard practice at Copperbox is no re-entry, but might be allowed for RLCS as we have longer days than many events.
For more info on admissions policy: https://copperboxarena.org.uk/contact/admissionspolicy
Venue Hygiene:
Shower and use deodorant... it's a box... you'll be near others... be kind to thy neighbour. If you need any toiletries, sun cream or medication during your stay, the boots in Westfield will have what you need.
Boots - Westfield (note - maps are bad in malls, its bottom floor near Stratford Station side)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RwSLUdFgHVjdvjbKA
COVID:
As of this post, COVID restrictions are mostly lifted in the UK. If unwell try taking Lateral flow tests to protect others, especially for those travelling internationally. Respect people's space and clean your hands regularly especially if shaking hands or eating food. If unsure of local COVID rules, check UK government guidelines.
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
This is from my experience of living in London and my own personal research so do ask around for your friends' plans too and make your own personal plans that suit you best!
Any questions, be sure to ask.
Thanks for reading,
Gregan