As thousands of rugby fans descended on Twickenham for Saturday's (20 June) Gallagher Premiership rugby final of Northampton vs Exeter, local traders lined their driveways leading to the Allianz Stadium selling food and drinks to match day fans.

From burger vans, to greek food, to Cornish bakeries and drink stalls, being in the hub around the stadium offers a unique opportunity for local businesses to benefit from the crowds, whilst helping to create a community atmosphere that has become synonymous with rugby in Twickenham.

First time seller Nick, whose family launched their drinks stall, Charlie's bar, for the first time on Saturday, told Nub News: "It's brilliant to become part of the fabric of game day and be somewhere where thousands of people come."

The family moved to a property close to the stadium last year and saw an opportunity to join the long standing tradition of residents serving rugby supporters.

For Nick, the atmosphere around Twickenham reflects many of rugby's core values, "I think the family feel is important, because rugby, to a certain extent, is a big family."

He pointed to the support shown for charity cyclists fundraising in aid of former England captain Lewis Moody, as well as the warm welcome he received, selling for the first time.

"It was quite touching today to see the guys cycling for Lewis Moody and they were getting a huge amount of love.

"We had a huge amount of Northampton saints fans here, who also gave us loads of support, so that was great.

"And it's a fun thing to do, it's nice to be able to spend a bit of time with the customers, have a chat, talk about the game."

That sense of community was a common theme among other traders along the street.

Just metres from the stadium, Karen has been running her family food stall from her driveway, since 2018.

Karen has become a familiar face too many supporters heading to matches. "it's a good meeting place, because everyone heads for the statues and we're right opposite," she said.

According to Karen, the community spirit among traders is one of the things that makes match days in Twickenham unique.

"Well, we love our rugby, and this is a good way for me to just have a little business on the side of that.

"It's just me, my son and my husband and my son's friend, and we've got it down to a nice rhythm, we're like a well-oiled machine," Karen added.

The Windsor Burger Company operates several food wagons along the stretch up to the stadium, with many stationed on driveways rented from local residents and they further echoed the community support.

Gary, running one of the burger stalls, said: "The community is so supportive, always coming every time without fail.

"It's good that people choose to support small businesses, instead of going to all these big commercial places.

"It really creates a good sense of community."

While traders remain positive about the future, several acknowledged that the match day landscape has changed in recent years.

Aaron, of Rims Catering Limited, operating a burger and fries stall from his aunt's driveway, said crowd management changes around the stadium have affected footfall for some independent traders.

"They've split the crowd. So compared to two years ago, maybe three, I'd say our earnings are about a third down."

Karen has also noticed changes, she admitted: "I don't think it's as busy as it used to be, but, it's still worth doing."

Despite fewer customers than in previous years, long queues of fans still form outside their stalls showing that it is still an integral part of the game day buzz.

While match days remain vital for many of the local businesses, some are already looking ahead to the opportunities emerging beyond rugby.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) recently confirmed plans to bring more major concerts to the stadium, as part of, yet to be, submitted proposals to Richmond Council.

The governing body have said that concerts and events would generate an extra £28.5 million a year for businesses across the borough.

Residents are on board with the initiative, Karen said: "If they want to do concerts and host more events, then that would be great for local businesses like ours."

And for newcomers like Nick and his family, the experience of joining Twickenham's game day culture, has already exceeded expectations.

"It's been absolutely amazing, because we didn't really know how it was going to go and it's just been unbelievable," Nick continued.

The family almost sold out before kick-off and had to make a trip to Tesco for more stock.

Following Northampton Saints' Premiership rugby title victory, traders reflected on another successful day and recognised that despite changes over the years, the community spirit that surrounds the stadium remains strong as ever.

For the families serving food and drink from their homes and driveways, being part of match day is about more than business, it's about being part of the town's identity and helping create the atmosphere that fans enjoy and expect from the Twickenham area.