A city centre street saw hundreds of Everton fans appear ahead of the match at Hill Dickinson
Everton fans with flags during the Premier League match between Everton and Brighton
Everton fans with flags during the Premier League match between Everton and Brighton
(Image: Getty Images)
Everton FC held its first competitive match at the club's new Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday, August 24. Despite all of the action taking place around the Bramley-Moore Dock area for the long-awaited kick off, hundreds of fans hopped off the train one stop early and descended on the city centre.
The Blues packed out pubs and bars around the stadium but an unlikely street next to Moorfields saw one of its busiest bank holiday weekends in years - Dale Street. Resident pubs witnessed fans pour out of their doors in lengthy queues as Evertonians took over the area in what could be their new, unofficial watering hole.
Sandhills is the nearest Merseyrail station to the stadium, with Moorfields one stop prior. Moorfields is within walking distance and allows fans to stop for a city centre drink ahead of the match.
With Everton fans pouring into the city centre like never before, business is booming for the pubs lining Dale Street. Denbigh Castle is wall-to-wall Everton fans even on the quietest match days and the past weekend was no different..
The loyal Blue pub is the place to be for match days but staff said there was a noticeable influx for the first competitive game regardless.
Blues fans outside the Denbigh Castle in town ahead of Everton’s first Premier League match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium
Blues fans outside the Denbigh Castle in town ahead of Everton’s first Premier League match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium
Supervisor Sarah McDonald told the ECHO: "We're extremely busy anyways so there's not too much of a difference but there was noticeably more people. Everyone was so excited and there was a great energy.
"We have so many lovely regulars and there's never any trouble in here. It was one of the nicer Everton days to work because there was a really nice atmosphere.
"People returned a lot quicker than they normally do after the match ends but we powered through. The leg ache was the only problem."
Just around the corner from Dale Street is The Eberle Pub that benefitted massively from the Denbigh Castle's Blue legion.
Adam Stanley from The Eberle Pub told the ECHO: "There were queues out the door. People were constantly at the bar and by the time they finished their pint they were joining the back of the line again.
Windows steam up at the packed out Denbigh Castle
Windows steam up at the packed out Denbigh Castle
(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
"We were busy from before the match to sometime after. It was definitely a noticeable difference from every other Sunday and bank holiday. Everyone was in a great mood sat laughing or stood around enjoying themselves.
"When we called last orders, we had 30 people come to the bar. I think because we're right next to venues like Denbigh Castle which is a massive blue pub, we got a lot of traffic."
Everton fans packed out the other side of the street with hundreds gathering around the Vernon Arms. The unusual sight kept the staff on their toes with a noticeably busier bank holiday than what they're typically accustomed to.
The Vernon Arms on Dale Street
The Vernon Arms on Dale Street(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Bartender Jamie Gaw told the ECHO: "People came in from about three or four hours before the game. There was a lot of Everton fans inside and pilling out around the street, easily a few hundred outside waiting. In here was good atmosphere with a lot of great people.
"Everyone was in good high spirits having fun. We knew it was fans because everyone was in Everton shirts."
Dale Street was "chocker" all afternoon with fans pouring into the tucked away venues. Eve Foster from Dale Street Social told the ECHO: "Just after the game finished, thousands of them appeared in flags, dressed up and singing.
"There was streams of them and we stayed busy until nine o'clock. We're not usually that busy but everyone was in good spirits and there was no trouble. People were chanting and having fun. It was a nice easy shift."
The next Everton FC match at Hill Dickinson stadium is set for Saturday September 13 at 3pm. Only time will tell whether Dale Street will experience a similar flood of fans or if it was a lucky goal for the venues.