Mattioli Arena: Leicester darts visitor guide

The venue

Mattioli Arena is Leicester's 2026 World Grand Prix venue, on Memory Lane north of the city centre. Use that entrance for the reception and box office.

The old Charter Street frontage isn't a way into your darts session, even if a photograph or map catches your eye.

The Grand Prix gives this venue a distinctive soundtrack. A missed starting double gets a reaction before the scoring has even begun.

Sets can turn quickly, and the short opening ties reward a player who settles first. Our tournaments guide explains the double-start format.

Expect introductions, walk-on music and singing between spells of concentration. You'll hear fans react to a checkout they can follow on the screens.

For a first visit, read how a darts session runs before deciding what to carry.

Tables are our pick for friends who want a shared base on the floor. Tiered seating gives you a raised, allocated place.

The price chart sells individual seats, so a group should agree the category and ask how its booking will be placed together.

Use screens for scoring detail, especially farther from the board. A category name doesn't tell you about every sightline or step.

If access matters, arrange the actual position before buying rather than hoping to switch on arrival.

There were no afternoon sessions in the checked 2026 programme. Monday and Tuesday began at 18:00; the semi-finals and final began at 20:00.

The early nights are our easier introduction for someone who needs a less demanding return, while a weekend group should think about staying over.

The 2026 final is already in the books: Luke Humphries beat Gerwyn Price after falling three sets behind.

The event page separates those completed results and guide prices from the next Leicester dates.

The 2027 calendar confirms the city; its precise arena announcement remains outstanding.

Where to sit

The official 2026 chart has two standard categories: tables and tiers. It doesn't price front and rear tables separately.

Start with the session, then check the current seller's plan for the seat you can actually buy.

The session guide compares match volume with a trophy night. Read the seating guides alongside the official diagram, then confirm your actual allocation.

Getting there and home

From Leicester station

Allow 25 minutes on foot from Leicester railway station, using the arena's general directions.

The 2026 spectator pack gives a brisker 15-minute estimate; the longer allowance is our practical choice with bags, junctions and an unfamiliar route.

The published general bus journey is about 15 minutes, with the nearest stop around three minutes' walk from the arena. Save a dated route before leaving the station.

Don't choose a bus just because it says Leicester city centre.

First's current 25/26 services link Haymarket and Belgrave. Those are useful city-area routes, not a published direct station shuttle.

Check the boarding stop and final walk with the operator, especially if changing buses.

A taxi is useful for someone who can't comfortably walk or a group arriving with luggage. Ask a licensed operator or app for the fare and pickup.

No fixed station-to-arena taxi price or journey time is published in the checked venue directions.

Entrance and parking

Head to 12 Memory Lane, Leicester LE1 3UL. There is no pedestrian or vehicle access through Charter Street.

Put the entrance in the group's message before arrival so nobody follows the wrong frontage.

The 2026 Grand Prix pack says no arena parking for this event. That overrides the ordinary car-park page.

Don't use the regular payment app and expect a darts space; check the next event's parking instructions before driving.

Highcross is a named external option. Both its car parks open 24/7; John Lewis uses LE1 4QJ and the Rooftop LE1 4FY.

The checked evening rate is £2.50 when entering after 17:00 and leaving before 06:00 the next morning.

Allow roughly 15–20 minutes from Highcross to the arena as our walking estimate.

The £5 advance parking subscription allows up to 12 hours; it isn't a reserved bay. Check the product, height limit of 1.98m and your arrival time before paying.

After the evening session

Plan the last useful train, not just the last departure from Leicester. Add the walk, exit queue and platform time to your expected finish.

The late-starting weekend programme makes an overnight room worth comparing.

Autumn 2027 last buses, onward trains and event parking aren't confirmed here; check your session date before choosing the return journey.

Use the dated operator planners when published. Our group-night guide helps everyone stick to one return plan.

Tickets

The Grand Prix price and time table uses the completed 2026 edition as a guide.

The 2027 calendar confirms 27 September–3 October in Leicester; the next venue-specific ticket announcement still needs to follow.

Use the PDC's official route when the new window opens. Check the seat, charges and any access booking before paying.

The ticket guide explains the seller checks, and the event calculator adds travel, rooms and spending.

Rules and fancy dress

2026 darts rules, as a guide: masks were allowed only once inside and under-18s needed an adult. Confirm the next event’s rules before buying props.

Don't let an awkward costume spoil the walk from town. Read the fancy-dress guide for something you can sit and move in. Staff can help if you're unsure at the entrance.

Where to stay

Pick a base around how you'll arrive and leave.

The station area helps rail travellers; the Cultural Quarter gives you restaurants before the arena walk; Highcross offers another central base.

These Budget, Mid-range and Premium bands are our comparisons, not fixed September room prices.

Station and St George's Way · Budget

ibis Leicester City is a Budget option on Constitution Hill. Its operator gives a five-minute station walk and current £7 daily limited hotel parking.

That's hotel parking, not an arena reservation.

Premier Inn Leicester City Centre, at St Georges Tower, is another Budget comparison five minutes from the station.

Allow roughly 25–30 minutes towards the arena from this area as a planning walk, or budget for transport with luggage.

Cultural Quarter and Curve · Mid-range

Ramada Encore Leicester City Centre is on Charles Street, convenient for a city meal and railway arrival.

Allow around 20–25 minutes to the arena as our walking estimate. Arrange the return before settling into the pub.

Highcross and Great Central Street · Premium

Novotel Leicester, at Great Central Square, is our Premium central comparison. The operator describes its parking as a two-minute walk away.

Allow about 20 minutes to the arena as an estimate, with the route saved.

2027 hotel prices and availability need a date-specific quote; compare your full stay before booking.

Once tickets are secured, compare a cancellable room, breakfast and parking extras. A cheaper outlying room can lose its saving when several taxis are added.

Before and after

Eat before the session, especially for the 20:00 weekend starts in the previous programme. These are city stops, not arena outlets.

Check the last kitchen order when eating afterwards; published closing isn't always the food deadline.

• The Globe, 43 Silver Street: real ale and a proper pub meal. Bar closes 23:00 Monday–Thursday, midnight Friday/Saturday and 22:00 Sunday. Kitchen 12:00–21:00 Monday–Saturday, 12:00–20:00 Sunday. The checked two-course weekday lunch is £19.95.
• The Tree, 99 High Street: craft beer and a group drink. Bar closes 23:00 Monday–Thursday, 01:00 Friday/Saturday and 21:00 Sunday. No food Monday–Thursday; food Friday/Saturday 12:00–20:00, Sunday 12:00–18:00. Under-18s aren't allowed after 19:00 here.
• Rutland & Derby, Millstone Lane: pub food and courtyard time. Monday–Thursday closes 22:00, food 12:00–20:00. Friday/Saturday food is 12:00–21:00; the operator says “late” for closing. Sunday use is private hire/matchdays: call 0116 262 3299.
• Kayal, 153 Granby Street: Kerala food near the station. The order site lists 12:00–15:00 and 18:00–23:00, bank holidays until 22:00. Ask 0116 255 4667 for the last kitchen order.
• tamatanga, Highcross, Shires Lane: a group Indian meal. Closes 22:00 Monday–Thursday/Sunday, 23:00 Friday/Saturday. The checked Monday–Friday daytime main-and-drink offer starts at £14.95.
• Pho, 87 High Street: noodles and vegetarian choices. Closes 21:00 Sunday–Thursday, 22:30 Friday/Saturday. Its operator confirms wheelchair access and an accessible toilet.

Things to do the next day

• King Richard III Visitor Centre: the checked adult price, age 16+, is £12.50. Allow around two hours; last admission is 90 minutes before close. Normal hours are 10:00–16:00 Monday–Friday/Sunday and until 17:00 Saturday/bank holidays.
• National Space Centre: make time for the Rocket Tower, planetarium and galleries. Book the date and check the current admission price rather than using an old voucher figure.
• Leicester Museum & Art Gallery: general admission is free. Normal hours are 11:00–16:30 weekdays, 11:00–17:00 weekends. Redevelopment has closed some galleries and the refreshment area, so check what's open.
• Abbey Park: a free daylight walk beside the River Soar, gardens and abbey ruins. Use it as a next-day outing, not an unplanned late shortcut.

Event-week special hours, missing kitchen times and dated Space Centre admission aren't confirmed here; check before planning the next day.

The group guide helps you agree a meal time before everyone chooses a different place.

Events here

Hotels near Mattioli Arena

Leicester hotels for your darts trip

Compare hotel locations, published journey details and your route back in the dedicated Leicester accommodation guide.

Mattioli Arena seating plan for the darts

For Mattioli Arena, compare the ticket’s named allocation with the way your party wants to watch.

For Mattioli Arena, a floor table keeps you with the table crowd; a tiered seat gives a raised seated option.

For Mattioli Arena, ask the seller about steps, screen angles and any restricted-view warning on the specific place.

• Mattioli Arena tables
• Mattioli Arena tiered seats

Plan the rest of your Mattioli Arena visit

• Mattioli Arena hotel guide
• World Grand Prix event guide

FAQs

Accessibility

Discuss your seat, companion and Memory Lane arrival with the Mattioli Arena accessibility guide.

Official venue location

Mattioli Arena publishes this location for arrival planning: 52.6439531, -1.1309494.

Before bringing luggage

Mattioli Arena permits one A4-sized bag and excludes travel cases and backpacks.

Its visitor FAQ does not confirm a luggage-storage service; arrange a hotel solution before visiting Memory Lane.

Plan storage before you travel