Prime Minister Andy Burnham seems keen to take another look at the drinking ban that has for over 40 years prevented supporters who are watching football from taking alcoholic drinks with them to their seats in the stadiums. He calls it discrimination.
The legislation that prevents alcohol being consumed in view of the pitch — the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985 (SECAA 1985) — is outdated. Introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s government, the Act came into effect following a series of high-profile hooliganism incidents and football-related violence, most notably the Heysel Stadium disaster earlier that year.
The prohibition against drinking alcohol in view of the pitch was designed to curb crowd disorder in an era of unprecedented football hooliganism.
Under Section 2(1)(a) of the Act, it is an offence for a person to consume alcohol — or possess alcohol intended for consumption — within an area of a stadium from which the event/pitch can be directly viewed during the period of the match (starting 15 minutes before kickoff and ending 15 minutes after the final whistle).
The ban applies across the top five tiers of English football (from the Premier League down through the National League). Alcohol can be purchased and consumed inside stadium concourses, bars, or executive boxes, provided the pitch is visually obscured (e.g., behind blinds or tinting). Carrying a drink out into the seating bowl or standing areas facing the pitch is illegal.
The discrimination which Andy Burnham speaks of stems from the fact that the restriction is specific to designated football matches in England and Wales; fans watching rugby, cricket, or concerts in the same stadiums are generally allowed to take alcoholic drinks to their seats.
Speaking to reporters in New York on Wednesday, he called the ban “discrimination” and suggested he would be open to changing it.
“I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination,” he said, per Reuters. “There are different ways it could be done. It could happen on a trial basis.
“But I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
However, he faces opposition from the UK Football Policing Unit. A spokesperson said: “Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour. It would be irresponsible to fuel this by allowing greater alcohol consumption during games.
“Following a number of football-related tragedies, changes in legislation were implemented after the Taylor Report for good reason and we are currently in the longest ever period without a significant football related disaster. It would be incredibly rash to make fundamental changes without a full examination of the evidence and meaningful consultation with police practitioners who have the expertise in this area.”
The Football Supporters Association FSA) had a different view, its Chairman Tom Gretrex stating: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.
“We welcome the prime minister’s comments and totally agree that the legislation is outdated and deserves to be reviewed. We look forward to being part of that consultation.”