Pubs in Rhyl have hailed their “busiest ever day” and bosses say the town will never forget Kilmarnock’s visit.
Thousands of fans from Ayrshire headed to the North Wales seaside town last week for Killie’s Europa League 2-1 victory over Connah’s Quay Nomads – and they almost drank the place dry.
Boozers around the town reckon it was the busiest few days they have ever seen.
Rab Waraich’s mum and dad Debbie and Pinder run the Millbank Inn – only a goalkick away from the Belle Vue Stadium. And he had to step in to give his parents a hand.
“I was there on the Thursday because I knew it was going to be mobbed,” he told the Standard this week.
“I work for myself and I have got a young family so I rarely work at the pub. But because it was going to be busy I made sure I was available.
“I knew Kilmarnock were bringing fans – little did I know how many. I was well shocked when I saw how many
there were.
“I don’t think the town has ever seen so many visitors – it’s fantastic for the town. All credit to the Kilmarnock fans, they represented the club very well – it was unbelievable.
“They were brilliant and they are welcome back any time, it was a pleasure.
“My mum reckons that they’ll never have a day like that again in the pub.
“The town of Rhyl will talk about the visit of Kilmarnock for all of time. It was so much fun.”
The nearby Bodfor is a sports pub close to the train station – and they admitted they were afraid they were going to run out of alcohol on the Thursday night.
Pub manager Jane Dunham said: “It was some experience having the fans in for a few days, they were all great.
“There was no trouble at all, they were all celebrating at full-time and it was great. We were shocked and taken aback at how busy it was.
“The Thursday of the game was the busiest day this pub has ever had in five years of being open.
“The fans didn’t quite drink the pub dry – but we were panicking a bit on the Thursday night.
“We ran out of a few things but we had alternatives and we had a delivery coming on the Friday.
“I reckon we had about 900 Killie fans in the pub on the Thursday, which is mental.
“All the other pubs were busy as well, it was a great few days for the town.”
