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Scottish Football Clubs Alcohol Ban To Be Reviewed


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Tories seek review of ban on alcohol at Scottish football matches

_67259075_000828771-1.jpgFans in Scotland can only buy alcohol in hospitality or corporate areasContinue reading the main story

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The Scottish Conservatives want a review of the ban on the sale of alcohol at Scottish football matches.

 

Strict controls were introduced in 1980 after violent clashes during the Scottish Cup final at Hampden.

 

The Tories said the rules may be "out-of-date" and are writing to every senior football club in Scotland seeking their views.

 

In England, alcohol can be consumed before matches and at half-time inside football stadia.

 

Fans south of the border can buy a drink on the concourses at designated times during and after games, but are not allowed to take alcohol back to their seats.

 

It is possible to drink alcohol at other sporting events in Scotland, such as rugby union.

 

However, at football matches alcohol can only be consumed in corporate hospitality areas, although not during the game itself.

 

This privilege is not extended to the vast majority of supporters.

 

Cash-strapped clubsScottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: "I understand why the ban was brought in all those years ago, but times have changed significantly since then.

 

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There's no reason why this should be successfully in place in England but not north of the border”

 

Ruth DavidsonScottish Tory leader"We now have modern stadia with excellent stewarding to keep spectators safer, allowing more families to attend matches.

 

"This has resulted in the football-watching experience being a far more civilised experience than it was 30 years ago."

 

She added: "There's no reason why this should be successfully in place in England but not north of the border.

 

"It seems unfair that people who can have a drink in a bar, rugby ground or even at a concert in football stadiums are unable to consume alcohol before they sit down to watch a game of football."

 

Ms Davidson said that a change could bring extra revenue to some cash-strapped clubs.

 

The general sale of alcohol was banned at stadiums in the aftermath of the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers, which saw rival fans battling on the field and police on horseback attempting to defuse the trouble.

 

In 2007 the Scottish government lifted the ban for international rugby matches at Murrayfield Stadium, allowing fans to drink alcohol while watching games.

 

 

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It was good at the Doncaster friendly getting a pint pre match and at half time don't see why a similar set up up here would be any problem.

 

Would be pretty gash at fir park tho there isn't as much space in the stands to have a decent bar area compared to more modern stadia such as the keepmoat

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Taking the tory agenda out of this, you can get a beer at any game as long as you have a tie on and pay 40 quid plus for a ticket and you sit on a padded seat. It's all wrong that because you dress up and are part of a club you can have a pint but if you are the average punter you can't be trusted. Double standards and stupiddrinks.gif bring back the booze and let the clubs make some cash. Mind you if a Mars bar is 1.20 imagine what a pint would cost evilgrin.gif

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I'd pay a fiver for a pint at half time if it was done in-house (ie, the cash goes to MFC). Otherwise, I probably wouldn't bother. As Melvin says, folk can manage a couple of hours without a drink and I'm in JDs until five to three and back there before five so I'll not be dancing in the street if this is passed.

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I used to be dead against this as I didnt think with our attitude towards drink as a nation it could be anything other than asking for trouble.

 

However, given that a lot of folk stay in the pub right up until k/o anyway it probably makes more sense to allow it back in a controlled way and allow the clubs to make some money from it. As some folks have said if its ok for hospitality....... Might even reduce the queue to get into the East in the run up to k/o time!

 

No idea what the tory agenda is here but dont think that matters.

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If you pay for the Hospitality in the Centenary then you can drink right up until KO and come back down at HT sink another couple of pints and go back up to your seat, same in the Hospitality elsewhere in the ground, what's the difference?

 

Remember at Morecambe you were able to get a beer inside the ground just not take it onto the terraces.

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If you pay for the Hospitality in the Centenary then you can drink right up until KO and come back down at HT sink another couple of pints and go back up to your seat, same in the Hospitality elsewhere in the ground, what's the difference?

 

Remember at Morecambe you were able to get a beer inside the ground just not take it onto the terraces.

 

Been sometime since I went to hospitality, was a member of the Centenary Club at one time and unless the laws have changed dramatically, no alcohol was served during the half-time interval, anywhere in the ground. Half-time in the Centenary suite consisted of pies/sandwiches, tea/coffee. AFAIK the current licensing laws don't allow it.

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