Gate Guide: Aston Villa

SCOTT MURRAY'S GUIDE TO ASHTON GATE

SPORTS BAR & PIZZERIA

The new Fan Village will be in operation, with a raft of food and drink outlets, while the relaunched Sports Bar & Pizzeria will open its doors to City supporters from midday. The Coffee Shop opens at 9am.

CONCESSIONS OFFERS

- Two pints of Thatchers Gold is available for £7 – but only prior to kick-off. With season card discount, that’s just £6.30, or £3.15 a pint.

- Hot drinks are now available from the concessions stands two and three, closest to the South Stand.

- Five random supporters will be handed £5 vouchers before the game around the concourses.

STORE

The Store at Ashton Gate will open from 9am. Home and away kits are in stock.

WELL RED

The new-look matchday programme will be on sale around the ground, as well as from the matchday ticket office and the food and drink concession stands inside the stadium, following feedback from supporters. It still costs just £3.

SUPPORTERS CLUB & TRUST BAR

A reminder that access to the new Supporters Club and Trust Bar is via the Sports Bar & Pizzeria. Go through the main bar and up the stairs at the far end. The bar is on your left at the top of the stairs. There is a lift that takes you straight there as well.

RUCKSACKS

Ashton Gate Stadium asks supporters not to bring large rucksacks on matchdays, following advice from the National Counter Terrorism Office and Avon and Somerset Police.

Fans will still be able to bring smaller handbags into the stadium, although these will be subject to the usual search process.

An Ashton Gate spokesman said: “The searching process will always be subject to change and whilst there is no specific threat to any Sports Ground, we must ensure that we remain vigilant and the message to spectators is to ‘Be Alert not Alarmed’.”

If larger bags are brought to the stadium, they will be subject to a thorough search, with a bag and tag procedure in place.