Murrayfield alcohol ban lifted

Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Phil Anderton has confirmed fans will be able to drink alcohol inside Murrayfield for the first time in 24 years for BT Cup finals day on Saturday.

The SRU have been in negotiations with the Scottish Executive over a possible lift on the booze ban at the Edinburgh stadium which came into effect in 1980 as part of a crackdown on drinking following crowd trouble at the Old Firm Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park in the same year.

But the SRU have received the green light from the local licensing authorities to serve supporters beer and wine from a marquee and stalls at the rear of the East Stand.

The SRU lost out on staging the Rugby League showpiece Challenge Cup Final this year because of the ban.

However, Anderton is confident the lift for this weekend’s club cup finals could lead to alcohol being served for all games at Murrayfield.

He said: “We are striving to allow our supporters to enjoy alcohol within the stadium and we are working in tandem with the police and the licensing authorities to achieve that objective in a safe and responsible manner.

“I am delighted our supporters will have the opportunity to enjoy a drink responsibly on Saturday, which will add to their enjoyment of a day that is very much a highlight of the club season.

“Our supporters will act responsibly and we hope that Saturday will help our case to introduce a change in legislation to allow alcohol at international matches.

“We will evaluate how Saturday goes but our intention will be to look to provide similar facilities for our supporters at the Scotland v Barbarians match on Saturday 22 May.”