The English football ground famous for having a pub on every single corner

Cultures · Published 9 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Griffin Park was a unique landmark in Brentford, known as the only English league football ground to feature a pub at each of its four corners. Home to Brentford FC for over a century, the stadium was built on a former orchard and survived wars, fires, and major redevelopment.

Opened in September 1904, Griffin Park was established on land formerly owned by Fuller, Smith and Turner. The stadium’s name was derived from The Griffin, a nearby pub owned by the Griffin Brewery. Its construction began in January 1904 after a gypsy camp was cleared from the site, with local volunteers cutting down the orchard trees. The ground was initially designed with a 20,000-person capacity, though it eventually saw its largest capacity reach 38,000 by the mid-1930s.

The stadium’s history was marked by resilience and innovation. It survived the First World War unscathed, though it was hit by high-explosive bombs during the Second World War in 1940 and 1941. In 1954, Brentford became an early adopter of floodlit football, spending £5,345 on perimeter lights. By the time the Football League lifted its ban on competitive floodlit matches in February 1956, the club had already generated over £10,000 in gate receipts from friendly matches played under the lights.

Griffin Park faced significant challenges, including a major fire on 1 February 1983 that caused an estimated £150,000 in damage to the Braemar Road Stand. Despite such setbacks, the ground hosted memorable moments, such as the 1929–30 season where Brentford won all 21 home games, an English football record that still stands as of 2025. The final first-team match occurred on 29 July 2020, a victory against Swansea City, before the club moved to the new 17,250-capacity Community Stadium in August 2020.

Following the club's departure, the site was slated for residential redevelopment. In September 2015, Hounslow Council approved plans for 75 new homes on the former stadium grounds. As a final tribute, the development includes a central garden designed to honour the history of the stadium that served as the heart of Brentford for 116 years.

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