Alcohol sales at Murrayfield World Cup games approved

Scotland’s justice secretary Kenny MacAskill today gave the green light for rugby fans to drink alcohol during this autumn’s IRB World Cup matches at Murrayfield.

He announced that senior men’s international rugby matches are no longer to be included in the ban on alcohol sales at designated sports grounds for certain events.

It will now be up to Edinburgh City Licensing Board to consider any application that the Scottish Rugby Union put forward for upcoming international matches.

The move is a trial and ministers will look carefully at the effect, particularly in relation to public safety and responsible sales.

Scotland face Romania at Murrayfield on September 18 and New Zealand on September 23.

Mr MacAskill said: “There is a world of difference between people drinking a bottle of cheap cider in a park to get drunk and enjoying a pint of beer at half-time of a rugby match.

“We’ve listened to representations from fans, Scottish Rugby and the police.

“The fans can’t understand why they can have a drink at Twickenham and at Millennium Stadium and at some rugby games and not others.

“They want to be able to enjoy a civilised drink during international matches at Murrayfield.”

The sale of alcohol was banned at stadiums across the country 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.

It was largely attributed to the volume of alcohol consumed by spectators at the match.

Murrayfield was excluded from the original draft legislation but police proposed to introduce the alcohol ban at all major sporting venues.

The Cabinet secretary said careful consideration had been given to the move but it was not “a licence to binge drink”.

Measures have been put in place to ensure responsible drinking, with stewards having the power to take action against anyone causing a nuisance or making trouble.

MacAskill added: “This government will also be closely monitoring how this works in practice and we will not hesitate to reintroduce the ban if necessary.”

The news was warmly welcomed by Scottish Rugby chief executive Gordon McKie.

“We are committed to growing the game and getting rugby out into all communities,” he said.

“Any financial benefit gained by the responsible sale of alcohol at Murrayfield will enable us to put even more investment into grass roots including facilities in the community game.

“We believe sport can play its part in reducing crime and inspiring youngsters through our Scotland players to take up rugby as a priority.”