You CAN drink in Lens when Wales play England

[Michael Morris]

Alcohol will be served at the Euro 2016 clash between England and Wales in Lens despite stories of a ban.

Up to 500,000 British football fans, with many expected to travel without a ticket, are likely to travel to France this summer for the matches across the nation.

The northern town of Lens will be hosting the match between the English and Welsh on June 16 and some reports this week have indicated there would be a 24-hour suspension on selling booze.

However, there has been frustration over the mixed messages within Lens with the local authorities stating there has been a misunderstanding regarding the sale and consumption of alcohol for the Euro 2016 showdown.

Lens council told Sky Sports News HQ that they wanted to stress there was no ban in the town during the tournament and that drinks can be purchased in the fanzone, albeit in plastic glasses, and will be on sale around the city, although fans won't be able to buy or consume it on the streets.

Lens councillor Pierre Mazure told SSNHQ reporter Rob Dorsett: "It's never been forbidden to sell alcohol.

"You will be able to drink beer in pubs and bistros in plastic cups. Our message is come to Lens because one thing you will be allowed to do is celebrate!"

England and Wales were each allocated 9,000 tickets for the game, but there were more than 20,000 applications.

Currently 1,841 England fans and 86 Wales supporters are under banning orders that apply from May 31 to July 11, meaning they must hand in their passports to police.

An operation covering 29 UK ports with officers from 19 police forces will launch on June 6, with specially trained 'spotters' to detect hooligans trying to sneak out of the country.

The Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens has a capacity of just over 38,000 and only fans with tickets will be allowed within a set exclusion zone.

The Lens authorities added that "stewards and police have every confidence they can cope with extra numbers".

http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...o-2016-in-lens

[Jimmy the Jock]

Great News. I was cancelling the trip.

[DP1]

...................thanks for the offer but I will be staying in Dinas

[IanD]

"Consumption of alcohol corrects Lens short-sightedness"

[NYCBlue]

Where do they come up with the figure 500,000? That sounds like one too many zeros to me.

[Bluebird since 1948]

Where do they come up with the figure 500,000? That sounds like one too many zeros to me.

A lot of offices in the South East are going for a piss up office jolly apparently. I think that figure is correct but many will be day trippers going out for one game or for a couple of days.

[TH63]

I can never understand why football fans need to get tanked up to enjoy a football match, obvious exception was us this season, but that was more about enduring it.

[kingbillyboy]

I can never understand why football fans need to get tanked up to enjoy a football match, obvious exception was us this season, but that was more about enduring it.

It makes the fighting better.

[blue matt]

It makes the fighting better.

joking aside though

if you were not drunk, you would just feel silly throwing around them cheap plastic chairs

[NYCBlue]

It makes the fighting better.

"fighting" = waiting in the corner for the horses to show up.

[life on mars]

And water is freely available