Stadium MK is home to the MK Dons and has already staged a handful of rugby union games; in 2008, Saracens played Bristol in Milton Keynes Stadium and during the 2010-11 season, Northampton Saints used Stadium MK as a base for their assault on the Heineken Cup knockout stages.
The Saints defeated Ulster and Perpignan in front of big crowds in the quarter and semi-finals only to lose out to Leinster in the Millennium Stadium decider. The Saints have since returned to face Saracens and both sides may play games at the stadium in the future. The South stand of Stadium MK is known as the Cowshed by Dons fans, as Milton Keynes is renowned for its concrete cows.
The stadium hosted three matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Local Pubs
Fenny Stratford, which is located one mile from Stadium MK, has seven pubs within a five minute walk - the perfect answer to the quandary, “Where will we have our pre-match drink?”. Both the Red Lion and The Swan Hotel are popular with fans and there is also a fish and chip shop closeby.
Drinks and food are also on sale at the stadium, and queuing is minimal due to the large number of kiosks. However, it is worth noting that alcohol is not served in the away section of the ground.
Local Attractions
Xscape Milton Keynes is the place to go if you’re looking for entertainment during your Rugby World Cup visit. It is a totally unique centre housing leisure, retail and restaurants all under one roof. Here you can ski or snowboard on the real snow 170 metre-long slope in SNO!zone or try out the climbing wall.
Not to be outdone, thecentre:mk, Milton Keynes’s shopping mall, is one of the longest undercover shopping areas in Europe, boasting 240 shops. Visitors will be impressed with the wide range of excellent retail brands and eateries available. The elegant selection of restaurants include Carluccio’s, Cafe Rouge, Nando’s and Yo! Sushi.
Did You Know?
Did you know that the Enigma code was cracked in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, during the second world war?