Several venues across Stirling were open late for the 2am kick-off against Haiti, with jubilant football fans packing out the city to watch the national team make a winning start. Bars and venues all over Stirling were packed to the rafters as the region’s hospitality sector was able to share in the feel-good from Scotland’s late-night World Cup win over Haiti.
The match kicked off at 2am in the early hours of Sunday morning, but the late start didn’t deter the hordes of football fans unable to make the trip to Boston to watch the game in person as they packed in to enjoy the big match on the screens. An extension to licensing hours was granted for Stirling venues to be able to stay open for the entirety of the game, a move which was hailed as local hospitality venues raked in the cash.
One of those who opened their doors late was the Fubar nightclub in the city, with around 700 people packing in to share every twist and turn as John McGinn squeezed in a first-half winner for the Scots. Stirling venues City Walls and Molly Malones also put on musical entertainment through the evening to get punters up to kick-off, before the football took centre stage to provide all of the drama.
Rural hostelries across Stirling were also sharing in the joy, with one of them, the Aberfoyle Inn, thanking those who came along through the night. The staff at Stirling pub Molly Malone's were all decked out in their Scotland gear ahead of kick-off on Saturday night. They posted on social media: “A huge thank you to everyone who joined us to watch Scotland’s fantastic win. The atmosphere was amazing, and it was great to see so many people coming together to enjoy the match, food, drinks, and celebrate the victory. Your support means a lot to us and helps make the Aberfoyle Inn a special place for our community.”
Business leader Danielle McRorie-Smith, project director of the Go Forth BID organisation which represents the local sector, said the evening had provided a major boost for the economy in the region. She said: “It was wonderful to see so many people heading out to local venues to watch Scotland play Haiti – despite the late kick-off time – and it gave Stirling’s pubs a significant sales boost with lots of extra pints being poured as fans celebrated. Watching Scotland in your local pub is a great place to share the atmosphere, passion and excitement of the occasion with fellow fans. Fans are guaranteed a warm welcome and a great night and I hope the city’s hospitality businesses will be just as busy for the forthcoming matches.”
The Smith Art Gallery and Museum will also host another slice of football heritage as the world’s oldest football is set to leave its spot at the Stirling attraction for the US city of Miami, in time for the Scots’ final group match against Brazil on June 24. Ms McRorie-Smith continued: “This is another wonderful boost for Stirling which will help promote our amazing city in the US and we are excited to see the ball head off on its travels all the way to Miami!”
The boost to the coffers from the Haiti match was also hailed by Stirling Council leaders, with the aim of repeating the trick as Scotland get ready to face Morocco tonight, with kick-off at 11pm. A spokesman for the council said: “It was fantastic to hear that Stirling’s pubs and other premises who had been granted extended licensing hours for the early morning kick-off were packed out with fans for Scotland’s World Cup win over Haiti. All the fans who turned out in pubs and bars across Stirling to cheer on the team and celebrate the result will have provided a significant economic boost to our hospitality sector. A general extension is in place for all on-sales licensed premises to show World Cup matches that kick-off in core hours, including Scotland’s second match against Morocco on Friday night.”
