Aberdeen to trial alcohol sales in Scottish Premiership match

Aberdeen Football Club has been granted a license to sell alcohol to fans inside Pittodrie during a Scottish Premiership match next month.

Home fans will be able to purchase alcoholic beverages in the lower concourse of the Richard Donald Stadium before kick-off against Kilmarnock on December 14.

Fans will not be able to drink drinks within sight of the stadium and sales will be stopped before the match starts. It is part of a pilot scheme to see how alcohol sales can be safely integrated into the match day experience.

Alcohol has been banned in Scottish football grounds since 1981.

Aberdeen is the first top-flight club in Scotland to take part in the scheme.

Championship rivals St Johnstone will also trial alcohol sales during matches against Queen’s Park on Saturday and Greenock Morton on December 20.

Aberdeen said in a statement that the initiative was approved by the Aberdeen City Council.

The club said the pilot aims to “gather insight into how a carefully managed approach to alcohol sales can support a positive and safe matchday experience for fans”.

They added: “Sales will be managed in full compliance with licensing laws, with appropriate security and supervision in place.

“Fans are reminded that alcoholic beverages may only be consumed in clearly designated areas and not within sight of the stadium, and all sales will take place in clearly designated and monitored areas of the stadium. Match day operations, supervision and safety planning will remain consistent with our usual high standards.”

At McDiarmid Park, home and away fans will be able to purchase alcoholic beverages from a pop-up gazebo at the back of the East Stand before kick-off at 15:00.

Sales will be open between 14:00 and 14:45 and during half-time of matches.

As in Aberdeen, drinks cannot be consumed within sight of the stadium.

This comes after similar experiences during Premier League Sports Cup matches at Arbroath, Ayr United, Queen of the South and Stirling Albion before the start of the league season.

Alcohol has been banned in Scottish football grounds for 44 years.

The ban was initially imposed following riots during the 1980 Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden.

The ban does not include hospitality departments inside stadiums.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Police previously said they would consider lifting the alcohol ban in March.

Fans have previously called for football fans to be subject to the same rules as their rugby counterparts, who can drink during matches.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Our position on alcohol sales at Scottish football grounds has not changed.

“It is the responsibility of local licensing authorities and Police Scotland to ensure that pilot projects are permitted within the current legislative framework when granting licences.”