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Aberdeen Football Club will soon introduce alcohol sales at Pittodrie Stadium for the first time in decades during a Scottish Premiership match scheduled for 14 December against Kilmarnock. Supporters in the lower concourse of the Richard Donald Stand will have the opportunity to purchase alcoholic beverages prior to kickoff. However, drinking will not be allowed in areas visible from the pitch, and sales will cease once the match begins. This initiative is part of a trial designed to explore the safe integration of alcohol sales into the matchday environment.
This marks the first occasion that a club from Scotland’s top-flight league has joined the pilot scheme. St Johnstone, competing in the Championship, will also participate by offering alcohol on matchdays against Queen’s Park and Greenock Morton later this month. Aberdeen confirmed that the scheme received approval from Aberdeen City Council. The club emphasized that the pilot aims to “gather insight into how a carefully managed approach to alcohol sales can support a positive and safe matchday experience for supporters.”
Regarding the practicalities of the scheme, Aberdeen outlined that alcohol sales would be conducted strictly under licensing laws with appropriate stewarding and security measures in place. They reminded fans that drinks can only be consumed within designated zones away from the pitch line of sight, and that all transaction areas will be closely monitored. The club assured that matchday safety and operations would continue to meet their established high standards throughout the trial.
At McDiarmid Park, a similar approach will be taken for both home and away fans, who will have access to alcohol sales via a pop-up gazebo situated behind the East Stand prior to matches starting at 15:00. Sales will be open from 14:00 to 14:45 and during halftime, with the same rule in place that consumption cannot occur in view of the playing field. This follows earlier limited trials at clubs such as Arbroath, Ayr United, Queen of the South, and Stirling Albion during Premier Sports Cup games. The longstanding ban on alcohol inside Scottish football stadiums, lasting 44 years, originated following a riot at the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Rangers and Celtic. The prohibition remains, although it excludes hospitality areas within stadiums. While the Scottish government and Police Scotland have previously indicated a willingness to consider lifting the ban, officials have maintained that local licensing authorities and Police Scotland must be satisfied that these pilot projects comply with existing legislation before licenses can be granted. A Scottish government spokesperson stated: “Our position on alcohol sales at Scottish football grounds has not changed. It is for local licensing authorities and Police Scotland to satisfy themselves that the pilot projects are permissible within the current legislative framework when granting licences.
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