Arena to screen Villa Europa League final

A fan park for Aston Villa's Europa League final against Freiburg will now take place at the Utilita Arena, after the original venue had its licence suspended.

It was due to be held at Luna Springs in Digbeth but the venue's licence was suspended following a double stabbing last weekend.

Separately, Birmingham City Council has been urged to screen the sporting event that could see Villa win their first European trophy in more than 40 years.

In an open letter, outgoing shadow cabinet member for communities Alex Yip called on the council "to begin preparations for the final to be publicly screened in a suitable and accessible location".

He said the benefits of Birmingham "proactively supporting and facilitating celebrations" would include a positive economic impact through increased footfall.

"This would represent a historic moment not only for the football club but for Birmingham itself."

Those who have bought tickets to the fan park event will still be able to use them at the Utilita Arena, and additional tickets will be put on sale, with general admission prices starting from £18.75, and doors opening at 17:00 BST on Wednesday, organisers 4TheFans said.

Villa secured their place in the final against German side Freiburg after beating Nottingham Forest 4-1 on aggregate.

The match will be Aston Villa's first European final since they won the European Cup in 1982 by beating Bayern Munich 1-0 in Rotterdam.

Mike Kill, CEO of the Nighttime Industries Association, emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum for the fans and the positive impact on local businesses and the community.

"This is such an important moment for West Midlands and Villa fans, in particular, and the energy and buzz around this we can't lose that momentum

"People want to be able to watch Villa come home with the trophy.

"It'll have a huge economic impact, we're talking millions of pints sold and potentially millions of pounds worth of extra spend over bars," he said.

Thousands of supporters are expected to travel to Istanbul for the final, with huge demand for flights and accommodation in the city after the club secured their place.

Yip added holding an event would "bring together residents from every background in a safe environment" and reinforce Birmingham's reputation as a city "capable of hosting and managing major public events".

He added: "Villa's famous 1982 European Cup triumph remains one of the proudest moments in the city's sporting history and another European final would place Birmingham firmly back in the international spotlight.

"A public screening in the city would create an inclusive and family friendly celebration accessible to supporters who may not be able to travel abroad for the final."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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