There is a difference between near the stadium and at the stadium. The Springbok is the second one. Step out of the front door and you are at the Loftus Road turnstiles. Five minutes before kick-off, the noise here is something between a pub and a pre-match terrace.
On the corner of Loftus Road, you can see the floodlights. Hoops on the walls, hoops on the regulars. Pints poured fast for the kick-off rush. QPR conversations about 1976 and beyond. Walk-in distance to the turnstiles. The five-minutes-before-kick-off atmosphere is unmatched.
Step out the door and you're at the turnstiles. The atmosphere five minutes before kick-off is something else.