Saints support Southampton Pride

This year’s event takes place on Saturday, and will see thousands of people join together in the city in a celebration of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender (LGBT) community.

It is the third year in a row that Saints has joined with Southampton Pride, which also raises funds for local charities, as well as promoting LGBT rights.

Through events such as Southampton Pride and initiatives including the annual Rainbow Laces campaign each November, the club continues to support and encourage LGBT participation in sport, while staff at the club also received training from the charity Stonewall last year in a pilot programme with the Premier League to improve LGBT inclusion in football.

The club would like to advise supporters attending the Premier League game with Leicester City, at St Mary’s, on Saturday afternoon of road closures in the city affecting both traffic and pedestrians heading to the match.

The Southampton Pride parade will run from 2pm until approximately 3.30pm, travelling from Guildhall Square, along Above Bar Street and down to the Bargate, before following the same route back to Guildhall Square.

For supporters making their way to St Mary’s from Southampton Central train station, please note it will not be possible to cross the parade route from 1.45pm to 3.30pm, so it is highly recommended to have done so before this time.

There will, however, be an opportunity for supporters who have remained in Yates’s, on Above Bar Street, to watch the day’s televised lunchtime game to cross at about 2.15pm.

Supporters walking from Southampton Central are instead advised to use Blechynden Terrace, onto West Park Road and then Commercial Road, on the north side of the station, to navigate towards the stadium.

Please also be aware of the following road closures in the city:

• West Marlands Road (7am-midnight)
• Above Bar, from junction with Commercial Road to New Road (7am-midnight)
• Above Bar, from Commercial Road north to Brunswick Place (11am-2pm)
• Commercial Road, from Above Bar to Havelock Road (11am-2pm)
• Above Bar Street, from New Road to Pound Tree Road (1.30pm-4pm)
• Pound Tree Road, from Essex Road to Above Bar (1.30pm-4pm)
• Civic Centre Road, from Havelock Road to Above Bar (1.30pm-4pm)
• New Road, from Palmerston Road to Above Bar (1.30pm-4pm)
• Bargate Street, from Portland Terrace to Hanover Buildings (1.30pm-4pm)
• Hannover Buildings, 75 yards from Vincents Walk to Bargate Street (1.30pm-4pm)
• Civic Centre car park (5pm Friday - midnight Saturday)

For more information on Southampton Pride, visit southamptonpride.org.