Park View Road

Park View Road

Park View
The Main Stand
Full name	Park View Road Ground
Location	Welling
Construction
Built	Circa 1925
Opened	Circa 1925
Tenants
Bexley United F.C. (circa 1945–1976) Welling United F.C. (1977–present) Erith & Belvedere F.C. (1999–present)

Park View Road is home to Conference South semi-professional football club Welling United, and was the ground of their predecessors Bexley United. Welling have played there since 1977. It is also the home of Erith & Belvedere who have been ground sharing since the 1999 season.

The ground takes its name from a section of the A207 road in Welling, London, immediately adjacent to Danson Park.

History

It is not truly known when football was first played at Park View Road, but a significant grandstand was built by the late 1930s. It suffered substantial damage during The Blitz of World War II and lay derelict for some years after. This was until a campaign was initiated to reform Bexleyheath & Welling F.C. Crowds soon soared to over 2,000.

In 1950 the current main stand was built. Crowds continued to rise in the 1960s and so the main stand was enlarged, and covered terracing was increased. By the 1970s however, the club (which was then known as Bexley United) had fallen on tough times and were forced to fold. The last game was in April 1976.

In 1977, Welling United (who had been playing in nearby Eltham) secured a 15-year lease of the ground. It had been left to rot and a fire had damaged the main stand.

Erith & Belvedere F.C. moved into the ground in 1999 after the main stand at their old stadium – also known as Park View – burnt down. The club sold their old site in 2001 and financed the development of the far side of the ground, where their headquarters are now maintained. Seats replaced a rather dilapidated terrace.

Footnotes

• "Pyramid Passion" Feature on stadium