P Deeley: Time up for big drinkers (12 Jun 1998)

12 June 1998

Time up for big drinkers

By Peter Deeley

A CLAMP-DOWN on public drinking at Test match grounds is being proposed by Warwickshire after crowd misbehaviour at the Edgbaston Test.

Dennis Amiss, the club's chief executive, yesterday indicated that in future the county might serve only low gravity alcohol and close all bars for a set period during the day without prior warning to prevent stockpiling.

Amiss is sending the results of Warwickshire's post-match deliberations to all other Test grounds and a copy to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

More than 100 people were ejected during the England-South Africa Test and there were many complaints from spectators about the behaviour of groups of young men in the Rea Bank Stand, the cheapest seats in the ground.

Amiss said most trouble had followed the loss of play because of rain on Saturday morning. "People then resorted to the bars and after three hours of drinking some had had far too much."

He is to discuss the idea of selling only low gravity alcohol in the public bars with the club's drinks suppliers. Such a move would not affect members bars, but consideration would have to be given to the future of "specialist" bars - providing Guinness, cider and champagne - which offer facilities in marquees.

Amiss said: "We want to strike a balance between people coming along and enjoying themselves and not upsetting the traditional spectator who wants to watch a game in peace and quiet."

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)