Can't see any problem with this at all 
Ipswich Town want to call time on booze ban
A campaign to allow football fans to drink alcohol in their seats at matches for the first time since the mid-1980s has been launched by leading Championship club Ipswich Town.
Ipswich chief executive Simon Clegg is seeking Football Association and Football League support for a change in the law that would allow football fans to enjoy alcoholic drinks in the same way that followers of other sports such as rugby and cricket enjoy.
Ipswich believe that football fans have been “unfairly targeted” in comparison to followers of other sports, and wants clubs to have the power to choose when and how they sell alcohol on a game-by-game basis.
The club believe that the atmosphere at football grounds has changed sufficiently to mean alcohol is not a risk to public order, and that allowing drinking could enhance the atmosphere and enjoyment of fans.
Supporters are banned from drinking in their seats during games, or “within sight of the pitch” 15 minutes before kick-off, under a law passed in 1985 that specifically restricted the sale and consumption of alcohol at football matches.
The law was drafted when there was widespread alcohol-related disorder at football matches, but Ipswich believe it has become an anachronism in the age of all-seat stadiums.
Under the current law a fan sitting in the same seat at the Madejski Stadium is allowed to drink freely when London Irish play rugby union in the Premiership, but has to stick to non-alcoholic drinks when Reading play in the Premier League.
As well as affecting fans in the stands, it also limits corporate hospitality at grounds. To comply with the law, clubs have to draw blinds in corporate boxes 15 minutes before kick-off to remove the view of the pitch.
Clegg wrote to FA chairman David Bernstein and his Football League counterpart, Greg Clarke, last October to seek support and his letter, a copy of which has been seen by The Daily Telegraph, was circulated at the last Football League Championship meeting. It is understood to have received support from a number of clubs.
In the letter Clegg writes that the climate around football has changed since the 1980s, and argues that clubs should be allowed to sell alcohol on a game-by-game basis on the advice of their safety officer.
Under Ipswich’s proposals highly charged matches or those between fierce rivals would be run under the current conditions, but fans would be allowed to drink at less tense matches.
In the letter Clegg writes that despite the lowest-ever incidence of disorder, football fans “continue to be treated differently to other supporter groups in British society”.
“We feel that the time is right to review the current restrictions on alcohol in football stadia and consider whether such decisions could now not be delegated down to the local safety advisory group,” he writes.
“The restrictions within the 1985 Act are not applied to any other games or events, including both rugby codes, cricket, the recent Olympics Games in London and music events, even when they are performed in stadia which are predominantly used for football.
“Based on this evidence we see football as being unfairly targeted and forced to remain in a position of subjugation that is no longer warranted.”
He quotes Lord Justice Taylor, who wrote in his 1990 report into the Hillsborough disaster: “I hope, in halcyon days ahead, a better atmosphere at football may justify bans being relaxed.”
Clegg writes: “We see the present climate as the perfect opportunity to relax these very restrictions, and allow our supporters to watch their team play whilst enjoying an alcoholic beverage ... I believe the football authorities should take a serious look at this.”
A campaign to allow football fans to drink alcohol in their seats at matches for the first time since the mid-1980s has been launched by leading Championship club Ipswich Town.
Ipswich chief executive Simon Clegg is seeking Football Association and Football League support for a change in the law that would allow football fans to enjoy alcoholic drinks in the same way that followers of other sports such as rugby and cricket enjoy.
Ipswich believe that football fans have been “unfairly targeted” in comparison to followers of other sports, and wants clubs to have the power to choose when and how they sell alcohol on a game-by-game basis.
The club believe that the atmosphere at football grounds has changed sufficiently to mean alcohol is not a risk to public order, and that allowing drinking could enhance the atmosphere and enjoyment of fans.
Supporters are banned from drinking in their seats during games, or “within sight of the pitch” 15 minutes before kick-off, under a law passed in 1985 that specifically restricted the sale and consumption of alcohol at football matches.
The law was drafted when there was widespread alcohol-related disorder at football matches, but Ipswich believe it has become an anachronism in the age of all-seat stadiums.
Under the current law a fan sitting in the same seat at the Madejski Stadium is allowed to drink freely when London Irish play rugby union in the Premiership, but has to stick to non-alcoholic drinks when Reading play in the Premier League.
As well as affecting fans in the stands, it also limits corporate hospitality at grounds. To comply with the law, clubs have to draw blinds in corporate boxes 15 minutes before kick-off to remove the view of the pitch.
Clegg wrote to FA chairman David Bernstein and his Football League counterpart, Greg Clarke, last October to seek support and his letter, a copy of which has been seen by The Daily Telegraph, was circulated at the last Football League Championship meeting. It is understood to have received support from a number of clubs.
In the letter Clegg writes that the climate around football has changed since the 1980s, and argues that clubs should be allowed to sell alcohol on a game-by-game basis on the advice of their safety officer.
Under Ipswich’s proposals highly charged matches or those between fierce rivals would be run under the current conditions, but fans would be allowed to drink at less tense matches.
In the letter Clegg writes that despite the lowest-ever incidence of disorder, football fans “continue to be treated differently to other supporter groups in British society”.
“We feel that the time is right to review the current restrictions on alcohol in football stadia and consider whether such decisions could now not be delegated down to the local safety advisory group,” he writes.
“The restrictions within the 1985 Act are not applied to any other games or events, including both rugby codes, cricket, the recent Olympics Games in London and music events, even when they are performed in stadia which are predominantly used for football.
“Based on this evidence we see football as being unfairly targeted and forced to remain in a position of subjugation that is no longer warranted.”
He quotes Lord Justice Taylor, who wrote in his 1990 report into the Hillsborough disaster: “I hope, in halcyon days ahead, a better atmosphere at football may justify bans being relaxed.”
Clegg writes: “We see the present climate as the perfect opportunity to relax these very restrictions, and allow our supporters to watch their team play whilst enjoying an alcoholic beverage ... I believe the football authorities should take a serious look at this.”
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