Drinking on the terraces

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Further, you're not allowed to drink within view of the pitch, which means that the Prawn Sandwich Brigade in the Executive Boxes have to keep their glasses and bottles below/away from the glass screen which separates them from the plebs (or out of sight if they've got an open balcony outside).

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That certainly isn't true EG. I can name you a list of stadiums in England longer than your arm with corporate boxes where you can happily drink in view of the pitch - some in the open air - with a beer, and not a sniff of a concern form anyone. In fact - there's no staff/stewards/security to be seen to bother you.

That is the first time I've heard of a notion of not being able to drink within view of the pitch. It's not even workable as a policy.

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

That certainly isn't true EG. I can name you a list of stadiums in England longer than your arm with corporate boxes where you can happily drink in view of the pitch - some in the open air - with a beer, and not a sniff of a concern form anyone. In fact - there's no staff/stewards/security to be seen to bother you.

That is the first time I've heard of a notion of not being able to drink within view of the pitch. It's not even workable as a policy.

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Can also see pitch from Monaghan's bar. Also, you can drink in the Bernabeu no problem. Plastic glasses of course.

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Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

Any European stadium I have been in which beer was sold, and there was no trouble, it was sold in plastic glasses.
So nothing of a missile nature when the drink has been consumed.

An earlier poster suggested that Irish people could be responsible with alcohol.
Have you been in any major urban centre on a weekend night?We seem to be congenitally incapable of drinking moderately in this country. A trait we share with Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians. We are a nation of binge drinkers. What we consider moderate alcohol consumption is way over the odds in almost any other country on earth. Alcohol abuse is one of the worst social problems in this country and can lead to depression and premature death from both alcohol related illnesses and , in some cases suicide.

I don't think the majority of people in this country can be responsible in any way shape or form about anything... never mind alcohol consumption. Responsible behaviour is almost unknown nowadays, and people refuse to take responsibility for their behaviour either. When someone commits a crime/misdemeanour/felony it's always someone or something else which is to blame.

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Excellent post. The issue here isn't whether beer should be sold or banned in football grounds, it's whether we, as a people, are responsible enough to be allowed have a few while watching a game. And I don't think we are. Every single Shels away trip I see some adult Shels fan out of his head drunk acting the fool. Irish people have this compulsion to drink around any semi important event. It's pathetic. I'm not for a minute saying that one shouldn't drink before, after or during a game but it's those who feel the need to drink to enjoy these occassions who I worry about.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Can also see pitch from Monaghan's bar. Also, you can drink in the Bernabeu no problem. Plastic glasses of course.

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100% non alcoholic

And the executive boxes aren't treated the same way s stands/terraces

Nya Ullevi for last years Uefa Cup game were selling beer, 4% i think,UEFA put a stop to it at half-time and nearly caused a riot as result even tho there was no problems with the cops or stewards:mad:

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

That certainly isn't true EG. I can name you a list of stadiums in England longer than your arm with corporate boxes where you can happily drink in view of the pitch - some in the open air - with a beer, and not a sniff of a concern form anyone. In fact - there's no staff/stewards/security to be seen to bother you.

That is the first time I've heard of a notion of not being able to drink within view of the pitch. It's not even workable as a policy.

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A few seasons back I had occasional access to a Corporate Box at Spurs and they were very strict against taking drinks from the Bar/Dining Area to the seats at the Glass Windows - even to the point of having signs made up to that effect. Indeed, if you sneaked a bottle with you and were seen sipping from it, they asked you to withdraw further inside.

Last season I was in a Box at Twickenham for the Premiership Play-Off Final and we were allowed to drink within the Box itself (from where you could see the pitch handy enough, as it happens), but we were told not to take our drinks out to the little open-air balcony in front of the Box.

As for elsewhere in the football stadia generally, there is a strict policy against taking either bottles or glasses (both only available in plastic) from the bar area into the seating or standing area. In fact, at Spurs they have Stewards at the steps, with big bins alongside to dump your glass (even if half full) before you go back out to the seating area.

It's the same at Griffin Park, and every other League Ground I can remember attending (nearly 70 of the 92) i.e. it is prohibited to drink alcohol either on the terraces or in the seats.

So unless the Rule for Corporate Boxes has been relaxed recently, then anyone within these who drinks alcohol within sight of the pitch is strictly speaking breaking the law. As for the enforceability, Corporate Boxes often have Waiter Service, so that they (or the Bar Staff) may simply refuse to serve more alcohol in the event of non-compliance.


Edit:
In fact I've just found the following:

http://www.flaweb.org.uk/docs/faqs/faq011.php
The Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 prevents: -

* drunken entry into a football ground (which, in practice, to be an arrestable offence includes disorderly behaviour);
* the consumption of alcohol within view of the playing area including, during the restricted period (15 minutes before the start of the event to 15 minutes after the end of the event), rooms within the ground from which the event may be directly viewed;
* the consumption of alcohol on certain coaches, trains and motor vehicles travelling to a designated football match;
* the possession of fireworks or flares.

The Act applies to the following sporting events:-
* Association football matches in which one or both of the participating teams represents a club which is for the time being a member (whether a full or associate member) of the Football League, the Football Association Premier League, the Football Conference National Division, the Scottish Football League or Welsh Premier League, or represents a country or territory.
* Association football matches in competition the Football association Cup (other than in the preliminary or qualifying round).

The Act only applies in England and Wales.

I take it you live in England EalingGreen?

I was at Villa Park and City of Manchester stadium last year and the latter of the two definitely didn't shut 15 minutes before the game. It stayed open untill the second half started and then shut for the game. I'm nearly certain it was the same in Villa Park although not 100% on that one.

Incidently I'd love bookies stands at the matches here. It's little things that would make attending games over here just that bit more appealing.

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Originally Posted by bohsmug

I take it you live in England EalingGreen?

I was at Villa Park and City of Manchester stadium last year and the latter of the two definitely didn't shut 15 minutes before the game. It stayed open untill the second half started and then shut for the game. I'm nearly certain it was the same in Villa Park although not 100% on that one.

Incidently I'd love bookies stands at the matches here. It's little things that would make attending games over here just that bit more appealing.

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Yes, I live in England (in Ealing, funnily enough!)

If you see my Edit to my previous post, you'll see that under the 1985 Legislation, Football Stadium Bars are supposed to shut 15 minutes before kick-off and I doubt if that has since been amended, since Spurs adhere strictly to the policy, and it wouldn't be like them to miss the slightest chance to screw the last shekhel out of their long-suffering punters! (I know, I'm one).

In Germany the rule is simple - all the beer they can sell you (except in Nürnberg where you can only get two 0,5s at a time to speed up the queues). High risk games have alcohol-free drinks only but they are few and far between, thankfully. Most cops over there doubt the value of the practice but it keeps the politicians happy.

There should be beer left right and centre at games. The growing number of usual suspects here can twist their knickers all they like over a bit of scooping at games, but coke is the real problem. Stick that on the back of your hand and snort it!

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Originally Posted by Dodge

100% non alcoholic

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Where, Monaghan or Madrid?:p

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Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

Any European stadium I have been in which beer was sold, and there was no trouble, it was sold in plastic glasses.
So nothing of a missile nature when the drink has been consumed.

An earlier poster suggested that Irish people could be responsible with alcohol.
Have you been in any major urban centre on a weekend night?We seem to be congenitally incapable of drinking moderately in this country. A trait we share with Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians. We are a nation of binge drinkers. What we consider moderate alcohol consumption is way over the odds in almost any other country on earth. Alcohol abuse is one of the worst social problems in this country and can lead to depression and premature death from both alcohol related illnesses and , in some cases suicide.

I don't think the majority of people in this country can be responsible in any way shape or form about anything... never mind alcohol consumption. Responsible behaviour is almost unknown nowadays, and people refuse to take responsibility for their behaviour either. When someone commits a crime/misdemeanour/felony it's always someone or something else which is to blame.

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Well said. Cogent argument which says it all. In a nutshell we have a stupid approach to drink which is causing enormous social and health problems.

im currently living in america at the moment and i go to see a baseball game about once a month.. beers are sold at every section of the stadium and they have people going around selling beers from a try.. the limit is 2 beers on any one sale, im sure if it would work in ireland if say 2 tkts were given out at the turnstiles, these have to be used to purchase alcohol and therefore you have a two drink limit excluding halftime inside the club bar... i know people will say that you could get 10 tkt off your friends if they werent drinking but if your of age and behave wat harm????

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Originally Posted by MojoPin

im currently living in america at the moment and i go to see a baseball game about once a month.. beers are sold at every section of the stadium and they have people going around selling beers from a try.. the limit is 2 beers on any one sale, im sure if it would work in ireland if say 2 tkts were given out at the turnstiles, these have to be used to purchase alcohol and therefore you have a two drink limit excluding halftime inside the club bar... i know people will say that you could get 10 tkt off your friends if they werent drinking but if your of age and behave wat harm????

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Within 15 mins there'd be a lad with 35 pints rolling around in his own urine

ha ha well with the revenue generated bythe booze extra personel could be deployed by the clubs.. the rule states that no alcohol may be consumed withing view of the pitch. wat about wexford youths bar that over looks the pitch/ does this break the rules? i hope not cause thats an excellent area to watch a game..

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Where, Monaghan or Madrid?:p

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must be them dammed madridians we only sell pure moonshine

maybe if we could not see the pitch we might not need to drink so much

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

A few seasons back I had occasional access to a Corporate Box at Spurs and they were very strict against taking drinks from the Bar/Dining Area to the seats at the Glass Windows - even to the point of having signs made up to that effect. Indeed, if you sneaked a bottle with you and were seen sipping from it, they asked you to withdraw further inside.

Last season I was in a Box at Twickenham for the Premiership Play-Off Final and we were allowed to drink within the Box itself (from where you could see the pitch handy enough, as it happens), but we were told not to take our drinks out to the little open-air balcony in front of the Box.

As for elsewhere in the football stadia generally, there is a strict policy against taking either bottles or glasses (both only available in plastic) from the bar area into the seating or standing area. In fact, at Spurs they have Stewards at the steps, with big bins alongside to dump your glass (even if half full) before you go back out to the seating area.

It's the same at Griffin Park, and every other League Ground I can remember attending (nearly 70 of the 92) i.e. it is prohibited to drink alcohol either on the terraces or in the seats.

So unless the Rule for Corporate Boxes has been relaxed recently, then anyone within these who drinks alcohol within sight of the pitch is strictly speaking breaking the law. As for the enforceability, Corporate Boxes often have Waiter Service, so that they (or the Bar Staff) may simply refuse to serve more alcohol in the event of non-compliance.


Edit:
In fact I've just found the following:

http://www.flaweb.org.uk/docs/faqs/faq011.php
The Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 prevents: -

* drunken entry into a football ground (which, in practice, to be an arrestable offence includes disorderly behaviour);
* the consumption of alcohol within view of the playing area including, during the restricted period (15 minutes before the start of the event to 15 minutes after the end of the event), rooms within the ground from which the event may be directly viewed;
* the consumption of alcohol on certain coaches, trains and motor vehicles travelling to a designated football match;
* the possession of fireworks or flares.

The Act applies to the following sporting events:-
* Association football matches in which one or both of the participating teams represents a club which is for the time being a member (whether a full or associate member) of the Football League, the Football Association Premier League, the Football Conference National Division, the Scottish Football League or Welsh Premier League, or represents a country or territory.
* Association football matches in competition the Football association Cup (other than in the preliminary or qualifying round).

The Act only applies in England and Wales.

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Well the last time i went Corporate at a football game in England, for example, was at Sunderland last season.

Our box consisted of a glass-walled room with a large dining table, a beer full of booze, and a small open air balcony outside. You can see the game from the dining table (though possibly only by standing up) and you obviously have alcoholic drinks with your meal. You could watch the game from the room generally if you were standing up as well.

Staff only come into the room to serve you your meal, take bets and occassionally check you're ok - the rest of the time you're left to your own devices. And there was nothing and no-one to stop you drinking insie whlst watching the match, or taking drink onto the small open-air balcony.

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

a beer full of booze

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:eek: Get out of town, a beer full of booze!! :p

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Originally Posted by Lim till i die

Surely this has earned gilberto a nomination as the coolest and indeed hardest MAN on foot.ie

He brings drink into grounds. He's soooooooo cool. He just had to tell everyone

And he (ssssshhh) SNEAKS IT IN. :eek: Wow, he's soooooooooooo super cool

And don't ever accuse him of drinking dutch gold. He's a renegade. He doesn't play by the usual teenage scrote rules. Vodka and energy drink all the way for this young MAN

And don't imply he's a scumbag. He confuses them with clowns

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your sooo pathetic its un-real!!.... i know for a fact your one of these fellas who stays in 24/7 with no social life anyway!!.... no GF for you anyway!!
what a muppet i really feel sorry for ya!!.

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Originally Posted by KoemansCC

I nominate for SPOTM (sarchastic post of the month), if only such a category existed!!! Gilberto's post was hilarious though, made me laugh..."Who drinks Dutch Gold...ME, NEVER, take that back ya fcuker"

Classic...

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i didnt mean it in that way.... i meant for him to stop making assumptions about me and painting me in a scumbag light...''drinking cans of dutch gold''

I Have been over in Australia for the past two years and been to plenty of AFL matches seen the socceroos seen Rugby both league and union, and on every occasion I was able to get a drink in the ground. There is certain parts of the grounds where they only sell mid strength lager rather then full strength , there I see no reason why we can’t go to a game and have a few but the thing is the facilities are not there at home , and in oriels case the security sure as hell isn’t there either.