Places for fans to have a pint before going in to watch MK Dons are scant around Stadium MK

Plans are in the early stages for pub to be opened near Stadium MK to give football fans a place to go for a drink ahead of games after previous haunt was taken over by Starbucks.

The American coffee giants have taken over Red Dot Bar at MK1, becoming the third dedicated caffeine outlet on site, with plenty of supporters upset at the lack places to get a pre-game pint without having to go inside the stadium first.

MK Dons chief executive Neil Hart admitted the bar near the hotel entrance, other than on a matchday, was struggling for custom, prompting the move to bring in Starbucks.

However, with fans voicing their upset, Hart said the club are looking at alternatives places to offer up a pre-game pint.

“I’ve heard a lot of supporters asking for a pub or a place to do that is not within the ticketed perimeter,” he said. “Rest assured we hear that and the feedback is coming through strongly. We’ll investigate what that looks like.

“Everyone has their own views on it. We’ve still got Lewington’s and and Club Red for members. But for us, Red Dot was not working as a bar commercially and we had to make the decision for the best interests of the group.

“We are looking at other options though, so it won’t be the case that there won’t be something to replace it.”

He continued: “Red Dot was an interesting proposition for us. It was only really used on a matchday, and it would really struggle during the week, with Pitchside primarily serving the hotel and conference space.

“We formed a partnership with Starbucks and they suggested the opportunity to come on site, so we had to have a look to see if that was a positive for us.

“It will be the largest Starbucks in the city, and should be open by the end of the month.”