MR Sallis describes Brighton and Hove Albion’s decision to ban flasks as “another way to extract as much money from fans as possible” and the “continuing price we pay for joining the elitism of the Premier League”. 
Mr Sallis is quite right when he suggests his view is cynical. 
The decision we’ve made has absolutely nothing at all to do with his first point – but, without Mr Sallis realising it, it does 
have something to do with his second.
 As a Premier League club, our profile is substantially higher. 
We have to be far more aware of safety and security issues than ever before and, as a result, our policies and procedures are under constant review. 
Twelve months ago we didn’t have vehicle impact barriers around the stadium or high definition panoramic security cameras inside the arena.
Now we have both. 
For seven seasons we have allowed flasks at the Amex. 
Now we don’t.
Our primary responsibility is to keep 30,000 visitors to our stadium as safe as possible. 
That means anticipating potential issues as far as we can rather than waiting to react to them. 
Banning flasks may seem trivial to Mr Sallis (and others) but the Amex isn’t the first stadium to do this and it won’t be the last. 
As for the Premier League being “elitist”, we are a professional football club: surely, it must always be our aim to play at the highest possible level.
Paul Barber
Chief Executive
Brighton and Hove Albion