The Dubliner pub in Boston, which became a focal point for Scotland supporters during the World Cup, is preparing for an influx of England fans by renting extra fridges and drafting in staff from across the city.
Preparations Underway for England Supporters
Bar manager Brian McDonnell said preparations were already under way for another surge in customers as England fans begin arriving for the Three Lions' fixture against Ghana on Tuesday. "Obviously stock – we have to stay way up on stock," he told the Press Association. "We have deliveries coming in nearly every day – just always rotating around."
The pub has rented mobile fridge units to keep up with demand for beer. "We're still going through so much that we had to rent a couple of mobile fridge units that we have out in the back alley so we always have beer rotating through – it's always cold, it's always flowing," McDonnell said.
Extra Staff from Sister Bars
The venue has also brought in extra staff from sister bars elsewhere in Boston. "Obviously we had to call in a few extra staff, and we're in a lucky enough position that we have a couple of different bars around the city, so we're bringing staff from there to give us an extra hand," he said. "So we just stock up on everything and hope for the best."
McDonnell said the World Cup had transformed business, even on typically quiet days. "On a Monday night, you might only have two bartenders on all night long and it'll be pretty dead. Obviously on a Monday now, we still have a queue down the street, we have full staff, we have record numbers," he said.
Scotland Fans Set High Standard
McDonnell praised Scotland supporters for their behaviour. "It's been amazing – Scotland's like the ideal crowd we could have got. Obviously (they are) big boozers, big partiers – but while doing all that, they caused zero problems," he said. "I don't think we've had to kick out a single person. There's been no scraps, no malice from anyone."
With England fans arriving, McDonnell expects a similar atmosphere. "We're definitely expecting a big crowd. If they take over as much as the Scots it'll be a different story. Kind of similar enough drinking habits, so we should be pretty prepared for that," he said. "The Scots have really set a high standard with regard to the party but also just their behaviour and everything. So I hope the English can follow suit."
Boost for Boston's Profile
Actor John Ratzenberger, known for playing Cliff Clavin in Cheers, also welcomed England supporters. The 79-year-old told the Daily Star: "Cheers England! You can go all the way. England has the players, the passion, and an entire nation ready to carry that trophy home."
McDonnell said the tournament had boosted Boston's international profile. "It's been unreal. Obviously there's the business side of it, the financial side – we were slammed every single day. On the PR side, or the publicity, it's like everywhere we looked on the media, our name was being mentioned – we were getting shared all across the world," he said. "That's not just for us, that's for Boston in general – I feel like it's a lot more on people's radar now thanks to the World Cup."
He added: "A lot of people had been hesitant about visiting America, visiting Boston, but coming here now they tell us it's one of the best vacations they ever took."
