STADIUM’S BOOZE-FREE ZONES PLAN
WRU SET TO INTRODUCE ALCOHOL-FREE AREAS AT WALES RUGBY MATCHES, AFTER CONCERNS OVER FAN BEHAVIOUR
WELSH Rugby Union chiefs are considering setting up alcohol-free zones in the Principality Stadium following reports of anti-social behaviour at recent Wales matches.
Some Welsh fans came in for criticism during the autumn, with reports of abusive behaviour in the stands during the New Zealand match and then two arrests taking place on the streets of Cardiff later in the evening.
It led to a police chief raising the issue and the Wales team sending out a strong message to fans who cause trouble at the stadium to stay away.
The consumption of alcohol and a perceived drinking culture among many Welsh rugby fans was blamed for the episodes, and led to calls for the bars inside the stadium to be closed during the match.
WRU boss Martyn Phillips met the Welsh media yesterday morning and confirmed the governing body was looking into stopping the sale of alcohol in some parts of the ground.
The proposal is that it will run on a trial basis during the 2018 autumn internationals after obtaining further feedback from the Six Nations.
There has already been feedback from thousands of members of the public following the four autumn matches.
Mr Phillips, pictured, said: “We ran surveys in the autumn to ask people what their experience was like, what did you enjoy what didn’t you enjoy.
“One good example was the whole drinking piece. That is clearly a hot topic. “What we now understand is that is a big part of the experience for lots of people that come here. “Coming to a rugby international they want to have a drink. That might be out in a bar or that might be in here. But that is a part of it for them. “Equally there’s a segment that’s saying that’s not why they come, they like a different experience. “That might be a non-alcoholic zone, something of that nature.
“They don’t want people standing up and sitting down, or they want to bring their children.
“So we understand that in a lot more detail.
“We got 2,500 responses in the autumn; we want to do the same in the Six Nations.
“Then we will know what our segments are and it will be about delivering to those segments in the way that they want. I don’t want to penalise one group versus the other.”
Among the incidents reported during the autumn internationals, drunk fans were accused of subjecting a disabled man to a “tirade of foul language” at the All Blacks game.
South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael responded to reports of drunken behaviour by warning: “If we have people continually behaving unpleasantly, aggressively and rudely then you are going to see an increase in the calls for alcohol to be banned [at games].”
And earlier this month the Wales rugby team issued a strong message to drunken troublemakers, telling them to stay away from the Principality Stadium and “don’t bother coming at all”.
Mr Phillips yesterday added: “Our job is to deliver what the customers want. We will definitely want to try an alcohol-free zone next autumn.
“We can’t stop people drinking in the pubs before they come in, but we can say they can’t bring a drink to their seat.
“If you have been to Wimbledon, you will have seen people can’t get out of their seats until the end of the game, so we are going to try that in an area of the stadium.
“If we listen to what supporters say and give them what they want we will succeed.”