Footy fans told to remove their supporter gear at pubs and clubs

FOOTY fans clad in supporters gear are being asked to hide their team colours or risk being turned away from pubs and clubs after games, with no-cheer bans in place at venues walking distance from the MCG.

FOOTY fans clad in supporters gear are being asked to hide their team colours or risk being turned away in a surprising push by some of Melbourne’s most popular from pubs and clubs.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal that bars in popular night-life hot spots such as Fitzroy, Prahran and the CBD are increasingly asking patrons to remove their club colours after games have ended.

The policy has caught punters by surprise in Richmond, walking distance from the MCG, and popular venues such as the Swan Hotel and The Precinct Hotel are known to enforce the policy.

Patrons at The Precinct Hotel are currently permitted to wear scarves and guernseys during the day but are then asked to remove or cloak their gear after 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

“The basic idea is to keep the peace,” marketing manager Alice Ho told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“We love the footy just as much as anyone but from a security perspective we try to limit the risk of confrontation on a night out.

The Precinct Hotel is one of the pubs refusing entry to footy supporters. Emma Fenby pictured outside the Precinct. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Anyone wishing to continue the party is more than welcome to and we make sure to provide cloaking facilities so that people can do that.

“Overall it’s quite well received and people do the right thing when we ask them.

Ms Ho said the decision of when to allow team colours had not been taken lightly.

“It’s an important thing to consider being so close to the MCG and we certainly aren’t the only venue in the area to have a policy like this,” she said.

“Footy fans are always welcome here but this way we’re able to ensure we’re meeting our obligations for safety as well.”

Australian Hotels Association Victoria CEO Paddy O’Sullivan said it was up to every pub to decide the dress code for patrons.

“If a pub turns more into a late-night entertainment venue, such as for live music, they may not appreciate footy scarves and beanies,” he said.

“As long as the customers know the rules and they are practical it works out for everyone.

“It is a tradition before and after a game for fans to drop in their local pub and we encourage footy fans to embrace that.”

Essendon supporter Emma Fenby said she was surprised to learn pubs were enforcing the ban as a security measure on busy nights.

“It is a bit ridiculous to be honest,” she said.

“We’re lucky in Melbourne in that you can sit next to someone who went for the other team earlier in the day and you can both get along.”

Herald Sun reporter Kieran Rooney with his footy scarf. He has been refused entry to bars when wearing footy colours. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

THERE’S A FINE ‘LION’ WE CROSS

AS a Brisbane Lions supporter, I’m used to getting the occasional odd look when I wear my supporters gear out in Melbourne.

But even I have been caught by surprise by the multiple instances where I’ve been asked to put away my guernsey and scarf at pubs across the inner-city.

The first time it happened, in Richmond, I’d only been living in Melbourne for six months and assumed it was just common procedure in enemy territory.

But now that I’ve seen the practice in Fitzroy, the spiritual Victorian home of the Lions, I started to wonder what was going on.

“Just put the scarf away mate,” one guard told me early on one night.

“It’s a rule we have to stop people getting into fights.”

Banning team colours at pubs in the United Kingdom is common practice thanks to soccer hooligans who run riot at big games and I can understand why venues feel the need to be over cautious with customer safety.

But Victorian footy fans are the most polite people going around.

I grew up in Queensland, a rugby league state, and couldn’t believe it when a group Bulldogs supporters started politely discussing their favourite Lions midfielders on the tram to a game.

I truly thought they were having a go at me.

Whoever it is that picks fights with Brisbane supporters on a night out obviously doesn’t follow the game very closely and shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy the sport anyway.

For now I’d advise footy fans out to bring a jacket and wear a shirt under your guernsey and save yourself some hassle later on.