Football followers say they don’t want booze ban overturned regardless of Andy Burnham’s vow
PM Andy Burnham recently branded the ban on fans being able to drink alcohol in the stands as ‘discrimination’. But people are not in favour of it being overturned, YouGov found
A majority are opposed, a study found(Image: Getty Images)
Most football fans do not want the ban on drinking alcohol from the stands to be overturned, new research has revealed.
Prime Minister and Everton supporter Andy Burnham recently branded the ban on fans being able to drink beer in the stands as “discrimination” and suggested a change could be trialled. Laws banning alcohol while watching live football have been in place since 1985, when hooliganism was rife in Britain.
You are still not allowed to drink in view of the pitch at stadiums for clubs in the top five tiers of men’s football – but no other sport faces the same restrictions.
Andy Burnham has suggested allowing football fans to drink within sight of the pitch(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
However, a new poll by YouGov has suggested fans attending matches are not in favour of a lift in the ban – with 64% of Brits believing it should remain in place. Only 26% of people in the UK would like to see it scrapped.
These figures change slightly for the most regular match-goers with 63% supporting the ban and 35% wanting current rules to change. Over half (53%) of people who have attended at least one match believe fans being allowed to drink alcohol in view of the pitch would make a match day experience worse.
Only 17% said it would make no difference, with 20% believing it would improve the experience. A greater number of regular attendees (33%) believe game days would be improved by drinking in the stands although more (41%) think it would be made worse.
YouGov carried out a survey on the issue(Image: PA)
The current legislation was introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s government with the then-Home Secretary Leon Brittan declaring alcohol a “major contributory factor in violent and disorderly behaviour’ in football grounds.
The PM is a keen football fan and holds a season ticket at Premier League club Everton. Speaking about his view on the issue while in New York earlier in the week, Burnham said: “I think that legislation dates back to an era where football was very different.
“And I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination … I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
