Away fans to be served alcohol at Caley games

FOOTBALL supporters from rival clubs will be served alcohol at Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s home matches, it has been agreed today, after the club came to a compromise with the police, who had previously voiced its opposition.

Councillors agreed to vary the terms of the club’s Caley Jags Family Sports Bar licence so that away fans can drink at matches from now on.

However, fans from other clubs will be allowed to drink at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium in Inverness by invitation only, and if they are members of supporters’ clubs.

And Northern Constabulary and Caley Thistle will carry out a risk assessment before each match so that fans of clubs with large travelling supports, like the Old Firm giants Celtic and Rangers, may be barred.

The club’s solicitor Alec Keith told the Highland Licensing Board that it had held productive talks with the police force and a compromise had been reached.

He said it was a similar policy to one employed by another SPL club, St Johnstone, at their stadium in Perth.

“I think the police were comfortable with the principle of what is proposed, it was more to do with how the club was going to manage the away fans,” said Mr Keith.

Police inspector Tom Ogilvie said the travelling supports of other clubs would be assessed in the run up to the game, using intelligence, before a decision on whether access to alcohol would be granted.

The new policy will apply before Caley Thistle’s lunchtime kick off against Hearts this Saturday, but it is not yet known if the Edinburgh fans will be allowed into the bar.

Before the licensing meeting, Northern Constabulary had said allowing only Caley Thistle home supporters into the bar had been a “major contributory factor” in ensuring the SPL outfit met its licensing conditions, namely that safety was maintained.

Ian Cox, the area licensing standards officer, had also warned letting away supporters drink at the stadium could create flashpoints, particularly if there have been controversial moments during the game.

But he added that the club had “an excellent record of ground safety and no history of fan based rivalry” and it was a well run bar.