The Witton Arms, a popular football pub near Villa Park, is preparing for its largest ever crowd as Aston Villa face a decisive Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest. Owner Kiran Chavda expects up to 1,500 supporters to gather at the venue for the make-or-break clash on Thursday.
Villa enters the match trailing by a single goal after a first-leg defeat at the City Ground. With a sell-out crowd anticipated at Villa Park, the Witton Arms is scaling up operations to accommodate fans unable to secure stadium entry.
Fanzone and Former Players
The pub will host a fanzone for Villa supporters before, during, and after the 8pm kick-off. Several former Villa players are expected to attend, adding to the atmosphere. Last week's away leg drew over 400 fans, a figure Chavda expects to more than triple for the home fixture.
Kiran Chavda said: "We're expecting one of the biggest crowds we've ever seen here. This isn't just a pub night, it's a full matchday experience. With Villa in a European semi-final and everything on the line, the demand has been incredible."
He added: "We had over 400 fans with us for the first leg, and this time we're expecting significantly more, with a full house from early afternoon right through to the final whistle and beyond. The atmosphere will be unbelievable."
Safety and Capacity
Once the 1,500-person limit is reached, a 'one-in, one-out' policy or total closure of entry will be enforced to comply with safety regulations. Doors open at 12pm on Thursday, with management projecting a sell-out well before kick-off.
To manage the crowd, the venue has increased staffing and partnered with independent food vendors, including Paul's Artisan Pizza, De Beouf Steak House, Mr Porky's pulled pork, and Love at First Bite's jerk chicken. The event is restricted to Villa fans only to maintain a controlled environment.
