Hornets purchase matchday pub

12:19pm Friday 8th September 2006

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Watford FC have purchased the freehold of the Red Lion pub, club officials have announced.

The pub, opposite the club's Vicarage Road ground, has been central to the matchday ritual of thousands of fans for many decades. "We regard the pub as part of Watford's football community and we recognise its historic position in the area," a spokesman said. "We are committed to improving our fans' experiences on match days. Opportunities such as this don't come around very often and when the pub came onto the market the club felt that it was opportune to acquire it."

A statement on the official club website said that the operation of the premises will continue unchanged "for the time being", while on the message boards Hornets fans speculated about what the pub's new name could be - The Golden Hornet is a favourite - and its potential use as a new home for the supporters club.