Supporters delighted as back pitch car park is sell-out

THE return of Murrayfield’s back pitch car park – a popular gathering place for pre-match entertainment ahead of big internationals – has been welcomed by Scotland supporters with the “sold out” signs being put up yesterday.

The stadium itself was sold out for tomorrow’s eagerly anticipated Calcutta Cup match against England before the turn of the year.

With Andy Robinson’s team in with a good shout of winning the game and a new package of entertainment with live bands and giant screens being launched by the SRU, as part of a fresh drive to make Scottish rugby more customer-friendly, the car park is expected to be packed ahead of tomorrow’s 5pm kick-off.

The new SRU chief executive, Mark Dodson, sanctioned new spending on protective sheeting for the back pitches in order to address supporters’ disappointment at the closure of the traditional car park but retain the quality of the newly laid pitches used by the national squads, Edinburgh and Murrayfield Wanderers.

The space allocated is down on the 2,000 or so of the past, to 700 parking spaces, and now comes at a cost of £25 each to help recoup some of the expense. Unsurprisingly, they were all booked up online. There are a small number available for the other home game in this year’s championship, against France on Sunday, 26 February, which is also nearing a sell-out crowd.

The car park will be open tomorrow from 1pm with turnstiles to the stadium opening at 2:15pm. The SRU have issued a plea for supporters not booked into the car park to consider public transport if possible, due to roadworks and the fact that parking is now being severely restricted outside the stadium on matchdays.