Making football more financially viable by increasing alcohol consumption 'surely not the answer'
Police and Crime Commissioners have expressed concern at the potential for a ban on drinking while watching football matches to be relaxed.
The Fan-Led Review of Football Governance, published today, recommends “a series of small scale, limited, pilots of the sale of alcohol in sight of the pitch, during matches between clubs in the National League and League Two”.
In response, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ leads on Addiction and Substance Misuse, PCC for Dorset David Sidwick and PCC for Durham Joy Allen, said: “We have spoken with policing leads on this topic and we share their concerns.
“There are already too many incidents of alcohol-related disorder at, and around, football grounds. Fans are able to drink on trains enroute to games, in pubs before the game, and in bars at the game itself. The stands themselves are the only ‘dry’ area.
“The main reason put forward in the report for allowing fans to drink in sight of the pitch appears to be financial. Many lower league football clubs are the heart of their local communities and we fully recognise the need for them to be more financially stable. But increasing alcohol consumption, risking disorder and making the atmosphere inside grounds less family- and community-friendly, is surely not the answer.”