Harrogate Town AFC granted alcohol licence for new bar at Wetherby Road ground to provide 'smoother matchday experience'

The away bar on the southern section of the Exercise Stadium replaced the now demolished 1919 bar, which was previously used on matchdays as well as for private functions.

Members of North Yorkshire Council’s statutory licensing sub-committee met at Harrogate Civic Centre to consider the application.

It received six objections from residents living near to the ground on noise grounds, with one person saying it would encourage anti-social behaviour and heavy drinking.

However, chief executive Sarah Barry told councillors that the bar would only be used on matchdays, unlike the 1919 where around 70 events took place each year.

Ms Barry said this season the club would be screened live on Sky Sports 20 times and that she wants Town to be a “model club in the EFL” when it comes to fan behaviour.

Describing the new away bar, she said: “It’s very basic. It’s not lending itself to private functions, that’s not the purpose of that bar.”

The club also asked for permission to open all four bars inside the ground from 11am to midnight from Monday to Saturday and until 11.30pm on Sundays.

Currently, the licence permits the sale of alcohol from 10am until 11.30pm Monday to Sunday.

Ms Barry said the application would bring each bar under the same licence.

She also said having a later alcohol licence may be necessary if there is a late-kick-off time.

Ms Barry said the new bars at the ground have enabled a smoother matchday experience for supporters and stewards.

She said: “Before we had the new bars it caused more problems.

“Supporters were using pubs around the ground and turning up near to kick-off because we didn’t have those facilities in the stadium. It was more of a problem to manage supporters into the ground.

“Having venues inside the stadium helps us to manage the flow.”

Councillors unanimously approved the application after committee chairman Coun Tim Grogan (Conservative, Monk Fryston and South Milford) said most of the objections were unrelated to the application.