Hampden's dry no more

Alcohol was sold to sports fans at Hampden Park for the first time in more than 20 years ­ but the move is unlikely to see an end to "dry" rugby and football matches. The national stadium in Glasgow successfully applied for an alcohol licence for a Clay-more's American Football match held on 13 April. A ban on alcohol at Scottish sports grounds ­ except in hospitality boxes ­ has been in force since the Old Firm cup final in 1980 when drunken fans battled on the pitch. And legislation is still in place which forbids rugby and football games from applying for a licence, although other sports are exempt from the ban. Glasgow's licensing board, which approved the licence for the Claymore's game, said it had watched the event very closely. Alcohol sales were strictly controlled by applicant Sodexho, which sold drinks from kiosks in roped off areas. It said it was "happy" with the way the experiment had gone and that the success of the trial could mean other stadiums may follow suit.