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Thursday, 28 March 2024

A beer garden thought to be the biggest in Britain is being set up

Credit: SWNS STUDIO
Duration: 01:57s 0 shares 1 views

A beer garden thought to be the biggest in Britain is being set up
A beer garden thought to be the biggest in Britain is being set up

Britain's biggest beer garden capable of seating 500 boozers is set to open on a converted rugby pitch.

Rugby league club Barrow Raiders have erected picnic tables in its stadium and hope to be able to host up to hundreds of punters at a time in their makeshift pub garden.

The semi-pro club which plays in League One - two divisions below the Super League - have been hit financially since the country went into lockdown and sport was halted.

Chairman Steve Neale said the lack of sponsorship and ticket sales has created a cash shortfall.

But now the club plan to open their Craven Park pitch up as a beer garden at weekends when the government allows pubs and bars to re-open.

Mr Neale said the club plans to use their ground as a huge, socially-distanced outside bar, which will include table service to avoid crowding.

He said: "Obviously, we're going through a bad time financially, in terms of the last three or four months.

"We've had no matchday income and our sponsors are suffering, so we're going to have a lot of shortfalls in our income budget and this is an opportunity to make it up.

"Maybe we'll do this over a series of weekends, especially if we're not yet playing rugby." The club plans to organise the picnic tables at a safe distance away from each other on the pitch, where punters will also be able to lay out their own blankets.

It plans to open its gates for the first time for any event since March - and hope to boost their coffers by as much as £10,000 on the opening night.

The idea is for two bars to be in use, with a queuing system set up for the outside bar on the Popular Side of the stadium and table service to be organised from the indoor Raiders Bar.

Local councillor Bill McEwan has thrown his support behind the idea.

He said: "You've got a large area where people can keep their distancing, they can space about and if it's policed correctly I think it's a wonderful idea once they get the go-ahead for pubs and clubs to open.

"People can't wait to get the pubs and clubs open, but it's about them abiding by the law and keeping their distance and I think it's a great idea to open up a big venue like that.

"It'll bring some money back into the club - I'm behind it, 100 per cent."

Britain's biggest beer garden capable of seating 500 boozers is set to open on a converted rugby pitch.

Rugby league club Barrow Raiders have erected picnic tables in its stadium and hope to be able to host up to hundreds of punters at a time in their makeshift pub garden.

The semi-pro club which plays in League One - two divisions below the Super League - have been hit financially since the country went into lockdown and sport was halted.

Chairman Steve Neale said the lack of sponsorship and ticket sales has created a cash shortfall.

But now the club plan to open their Craven Park pitch up as a beer garden at weekends when the government allows pubs and bars to re-open.

Mr Neale said the club plans to use their ground as a huge, socially-distanced outside bar, which will include table service to avoid crowding.

He said: "Obviously, we're going through a bad time financially, in terms of the last three or four months.

"We've had no matchday income and our sponsors are suffering, so we're going to have a lot of shortfalls in our income budget and this is an opportunity to make it up.

"Maybe we'll do this over a series of weekends, especially if we're not yet playing rugby." The club plans to organise the picnic tables at a safe distance away from each other on the pitch, where punters will also be able to lay out their own blankets.

It plans to open its gates for the first time for any event since March - and hope to boost their coffers by as much as £10,000 on the opening night.

The idea is for two bars to be in use, with a queuing system set up for the outside bar on the Popular Side of the stadium and table service to be organised from the indoor Raiders Bar.

Local councillor Bill McEwan has thrown his support behind the idea.

He said: "You've got a large area where people can keep their distancing, they can space about and if it's policed correctly I think it's a wonderful idea once they get the go-ahead for pubs and clubs to open.

"People can't wait to get the pubs and clubs open, but it's about them abiding by the law and keeping their distance and I think it's a great idea to open up a big venue like that.

"It'll bring some money back into the club - I'm behind it, 100 per cent."

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