Hillsborough businesses braced for a hit but hoping for a bounce back after Wednesday relegated
Businesses in Hillsborough are braced for a hit when the Owls play in League One next season.
Lucrative matchdays depend on thousands of home and away fans spending before and after the match.
But demotion to League One next season could see local ticket sales fall - despite Wednesday fans being famously loyal - and a drop in the number of visitors to S6 and the city centre.
Sheffield Wednesday is for sale after falling into administration under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri. It will play in League One next season after being relegated.
But John Harrison, landlord of The Beer House Hillsborough, on Langsett Road, is optimistic.
A run of wins could see the team riding high and potentially in the play-offs. And that could bring the buzz back to Hillsborough, he believes.
“I welcome it, football is very much a positive thing for the area. The quicker the club can be turned around the better,” he said.
“A lot of Wednesday fans are season ticket holders and will go anyway. If the team wins a few games there will be an optimism around the club which will be a positive.”
The boozer is busy upto three hours before a match, and after, if Wednesday win, Mr Harrison says.
On matchdays takings can be up 50 per cent and they take on extra staff, plus security for certain games.
The boozer usually hosts a mix of mainly home fans and some away fans, except against certain teams including Leeds, Rotherham and Millwall, when they act on advice from police.