Drinking in the stands- could it catch on?

Mametz

Allowing drinking in sight of the pitch at all seater stadiums is a pain in  the arse. One is allowed to drink in the seat at rugby games ( at least here in Wales it is ). The result is that there is often a near continuous stream of people asking for you to stand up to let them pass so they can go to the bar. Of course this means that people behind  can’t see what’s happening on the pitch, so they stand, so the people behind can’t see the pitch etc etc.

Covered End

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I'm sure we did, early 70's drink and smoke in the Covered End.

It was only the covered end klan/geezers/hard nuts etc.

Baldybonce

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Covered End

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Exactly, not a place for the faint hearted.
I went in there sometimes but not every game.

blackpool72

Covered End said:

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Exactly, not a place for the faint hearted.
I went in there sometimes but not every game.

It was a great place for a beer.
Also you was in prime position in case any away fans decided to pay a visit to the covered end. 

CAFCTrev

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst

Your mum was called Selhurst?

CAFCTrev

Wales v Australia: Boy vomited on by drunk fan in stadium

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59372210

Algarveaddick

SporadicAddick said:

ElliotCAFC said:

There are far too many coked-up dickheads in every football ground for this to work in England.

ElliotCAFC said:

There are far too many coked-up dickheads in every football ground for this to work in England.

sadly I have to agree. Keep it to the concourses.

what I would like to see if the removal of the legislation which means that you can’t drink within sight of the pitch, which leads to farcical situations like the curtains being shut at a certain time in the fans bar. That’s just nonsense.

If I recall rightly, back then more or less the only place you could get a drink and see the pitch from "indoors" was an executive box. In order to avoid accusations of one rule for the rich and another for the poor they brought in (and enforced) the curtains closed rule. 

Algarveaddick

Mametz said:

Allowing drinking in sight of the pitch at all seater stadiums is a pain in  the arse. One is allowed to drink in the seat at rugby games ( at least here in Wales it is ). The result is that there is often a near continuous stream of people asking for you to stand up to let them pass so they can go to the bar. Of course this means that people behind  can’t see what’s happening on the pitch, so they stand, so the people behind can’t see the pitch etc etc.

That's why I suggested a specific drinking area, you can't complain at having to get up and down every five minutes if you are going to be doing the same in ten minutes yourself.  

PopIcon

Algarveaddick said:

Mametz said:

Allowing drinking in sight of the pitch at all seater stadiums is a pain in  the arse. One is allowed to drink in the seat at rugby games ( at least here in Wales it is ). The result is that there is often a near continuous stream of people asking for you to stand up to let them pass so they can go to the bar. Of course this means that people behind  can’t see what’s happening on the pitch, so they stand, so the people behind can’t see the pitch etc etc.

That's why I suggested a specific drinking area, you can't complain at having to get up and down every five minutes if you are going to be doing the same in ten minutes yourself.  

You have it in cricket. Okay, it's an all-day affair, but I'm always up and down like tower bridge.

AFKABartram

I hope not, haven’t had a beer at half time for a few years now. Inter-game drinking would just bring so many more negatives than positives. Might work with games like rugby, cricket and American football but they are so much slower moving games with more natural break points. 

Personally, I hate how alcohol seems to becoming so increasingly linked to everything (yes, I am fun at parties). 

Baldybonce

blackpool72 said:

Covered End said:

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Exactly, not a place for the faint hearted.
I went in there sometimes but not every game.

It was a great place for a beer.
Also you was in prime position in case any away fans decided to pay a visit to the covered end. 

If i'm right it was light and bitter or Hurlimans lager as the only choices?

Covered End

Baldybonce said:

blackpool72 said:

Covered End said:

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Exactly, not a place for the faint hearted.
I went in there sometimes but not every game.

It was a great place for a beer.
Also you was in prime position in case any away fans decided to pay a visit to the covered end. 

If i'm right it was light and bitter or Hurlimans lager as the only choices?

I recall light and bitter.

Big William

blackpool72 said:

Covered End said:

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Exactly, not a place for the faint hearted.
I went in there sometimes but not every game.

It was a great place for a beer.
Also you was in prime position in case any away fans decided to pay a visit to the covered end. 

What often used to happen was that away fans would enter the covered end, take some ground, then the denizens of the bar would pile up the the stairs and repel the invaders.

blackpool72

Big William said:

blackpool72 said:

Covered End said:

Baldybonce said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

Covered End said:

PopIcon said:

It's an archaic rule brought in when there was a real issue with antisocial behaviour at football.
I think the current rules encourage poor behaviour and it's in most peoples best interests to lift the ban.

I expect there will be a surge in those drinking in the stands when it's first lifted, but it'll revert back to its natural level after a few years.

Spectators were banned from drinking in the stands long before i'd even tried my first alcoholic drink.
From those who do remember, would beer go flying on the old days of drinking on the terraces?

People didn't drink pints on the terraces in those days and at Charlton it was terraces apart from the West Stand.

I was a child of Selhurst, while my memory is hazy I'm sure the kiosk under the Sainsburys end sold beer (i might be wrong). 

Was it just not fashionable to drink on the terraces or was beer not sold?

Both really.
The only bar at The Valley was the most basic of bars ie a counter with bottles in crates behind.
There may have been taps, but I don't recall them.
The only ones that mainly frequented were the Charlton crew/hard nuts etc.
I used to get the occasional beer, but it never entered my head to take it out.

It was a right of passage to go in the bar under the Covered End as a teenager and get past those at the bar.

Exactly, not a place for the faint hearted.
I went in there sometimes but not every game.

It was a great place for a beer.
Also you was in prime position in case any away fans decided to pay a visit to the covered end. 

What often used to happen was that away fans would enter the covered end, take some ground, then the denizens of the bar would pile up the the stairs and repel the invaders.

Indeed 

se9addick

AFKABartram said:

I hope not, haven’t had a beer at half time for a few years now. Inter-game drinking would just bring so many more negatives than positives. Might work with games like rugby, cricket and American football but they are so much slower moving games with more natural break points. 

Personally, I hate how alcohol seems to becoming so increasingly linked to everything (yes, I am fun at parties). 

Hasn’t British/Irish/Northern European culture kind of always been this way? 

AFKABartram

se9addick said:

AFKABartram said:

I hope not, haven’t had a beer at half time for a few years now. Inter-game drinking would just bring so many more negatives than positives. Might work with games like rugby, cricket and American football but they are so much slower moving games with more natural break points. 

Personally, I hate how alcohol seems to becoming so increasingly linked to everything (yes, I am fun at parties). 

Hasn’t British/Irish/Northern European culture kind of always been this way? 

I might be wrong, but I don’t remember the volume level of drinking 20-30 years ago being what it is now when it comes to going to sporting events 

seth plum

Yeah but 20-30 years ago the turnstiles worked.

SporadicAddick

AFKABartram said:

se9addick said:

AFKABartram said:

I hope not, haven’t had a beer at half time for a few years now. Inter-game drinking would just bring so many more negatives than positives. Might work with games like rugby, cricket and American football but they are so much slower moving games with more natural break points. 

Personally, I hate how alcohol seems to becoming so increasingly linked to everything (yes, I am fun at parties). 

Hasn’t British/Irish/Northern European culture kind of always been this way? 

I might be wrong, but I don’t remember the volume level of drinking 20-30 years ago being what it is now when it comes to going to sporting events 

I’d say it was more. Alcohol consumption is far lower now per head than 30 years ago in general and I can’t see it being any different in the context of sport.

Exiled_Addick

It could work. It should work. It works at lots of other sports all over the world. Out here is Canada, at hockey games, they have servers walking up and down the stairs with trays of pre-poured drinks selling them from there and people can pass money and drinks back and forth along the line without having to get up, and disturb everyone else in the row. You'd think you could do something with an app now so you can order drinks, and they're brought out to you. Will cubs want to pay for the extra staff that would require though, especially at our level with half full stadiums?

Will it work at Football in the UK? Not so sure - the British culture around drinking, especially around football matches, is less healthy than in some countries and while a lot of people can be trusted, I suspect there's enough people who can't control (or won't) control themselves and will ruin it for everyone else.

Todds_right_hook

Algarveaddick said:

I'm all for it, but I think you might need a drinking section. I love a beer, but folk asking me to get up every five minutes and spilling beer on me as they pass would soon get a bit trying. I might take one to my seat at the start of the game, but after that, age dictates that topping up with too much liquid would mean I'd miss half the game going in and out for a pee...   

only let people in and out of the stands when there is a break in play, similar to cricket where you can only come back at the end of an over

JohnnyH2

I have a drink when at Cricket, Rugby League, Darts and the Theatre. It works really well in all of these as they have well established workings in serving and for all of them except the Darts, people know how to drink and not disrupt others viewing (Darts is just a given and is marketed a big party)

But it would simply not work at football. People constantly in/out (more than currently), beer thrown in the air when goals go in, idiots acting as bigger idiots when goading the opposition support

JohnnyH2

Todds_right_hook said:

Algarveaddick said:

I'm all for it, but I think you might need a drinking section. I love a beer, but folk asking me to get up every five minutes and spilling beer on me as they pass would soon get a bit trying. I might take one to my seat at the start of the game, but after that, age dictates that topping up with too much liquid would mean I'd miss half the game going in and out for a pee...   

only let people in and out of the stands when there is a break in play, similar to cricket where you can only come back at the end of an over

Our stewards can't even stop people bringing alcohol into the stands, so they would have no chance of doing this 

PopIcon

AFKABartram said:

se9addick said:

AFKABartram said:

I hope not, haven’t had a beer at half time for a few years now. Inter-game drinking would just bring so many more negatives than positives. Might work with games like rugby, cricket and American football but they are so much slower moving games with more natural break points. 

Personally, I hate how alcohol seems to becoming so increasingly linked to everything (yes, I am fun at parties). 

Hasn’t British/Irish/Northern European culture kind of always been this way? 

I might be wrong, but I don’t remember the volume level of drinking 20-30 years ago being what it is now when it comes to going to sporting events 

I think we're a similar age and are both part of that Selhurst generation. The drinking culture is the same now as it was 12/15 years ago. I never really drank at Charlton before that, but I drank at gigs and while watching football in the pub. Also, how can we forget the pissed up England fans abroad getting destroyed by water canon.

I think our mentality has changed, we are more aware of our actions the older we get. Maybe it's always been there, but we've changed.

Rothko

Drinking culture is the same, the amount of coked up morons is off the chart, and it’s a pretty deadly combination in a stand, added to the nonsense of people throwing pints.

can see it working in a less drugged up environment at women’s games, but not in the men’s game for a long while 

paulsturgess

Football in Germany and Italy is tribal like here and it’s completely normal to be able to drink in the stands and by my experience , having been to probably 5 or 6 club games in each country, it’s always fine / no problems and certainly adds to the enjoyment versus trying to squeeze one in at half time and missing 15% of the game in the process. 

We really should be able to handle this in 2024. Should doesn’t mean would though!

redbuttle

AFKABartram said:

se9addick said:

AFKABartram said:

I hope not, haven’t had a beer at half time for a few years now. Inter-game drinking would just bring so many more negatives than positives. Might work with games like rugby, cricket and American football but they are so much slower moving games with more natural break points. 

Personally, I hate how alcohol seems to becoming so increasingly linked to everything (yes, I am fun at parties). 

Hasn’t British/Irish/Northern European culture kind of always been this way? 

I might be wrong, but I don’t remember the volume level of drinking 20-30 years ago being what it is now when it comes to going to sporting events 

Was definitely high at Charlton 

Starinnaddick

Judging by the level of aggro in my local pub beer garden during the World Cup when Beer was thrown when England scored, it's a no from me. 

Covered End

Todds_right_hook said:

Algarveaddick said:

I'm all for it, but I think you might need a drinking section. I love a beer, but folk asking me to get up every five minutes and spilling beer on me as they pass would soon get a bit trying. I might take one to my seat at the start of the game, but after that, age dictates that topping up with too much liquid would mean I'd miss half the game going in and out for a pee...   

only let people in and out of the stands when there is a break in play, similar to cricket where you can only come back at the end of an over

You can’t prevent people going to their seats for 20/30 mins. Ridiculous suggestion.

Covered End

But we’re not in Germany or Italy so it’s irrelevant.
I agree with others, it may raise an extra £200 a match, but at the expense of many pissed off fans.