Owner of Scottish pub in Boston ready for ‘really big’ World Cup party

A Scottish man who owns a pub in Boston has recalled the moment Scotland beat Denmark, marking their qualification for the World Cup.

Jason Waddleton, 57, owns the US city’s only dedicated Scottish pub, The Haven, and he told of the delight among his patrons when Scotland sealed their place in the tournament.

Mr Waddleton, originally from Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, said: “It was unbelievable because the week before the Denmark game, we played badly and things hadn’t gone our way, so our hopes weren’t too high.

“But then we got the game against Denmark, and I talked some people into coming to watch it, and we were there at the bar and got the win.

“Everyone was emphatic about it – it was beautiful, and there was this general exuberance in the air.”

Mr Waddleton moved to Boston in 1998, the same year Scotland last qualified for the World Cup.

He previously lived in London and worked in a bar, and he told how that gave him the idea of a Scottish pub.

He said: “When I worked in London, there were a lot of Scottish people who would come out to watch, and it was great, seeing people getting together.

“I remember thinking it’d be great to open a bar in London that was Scottish, as there weren’t any, and I didn’t think it would really work.

“When I moved over there (to Boston), I worked in an Irish bar for around 10 years and decided I wanted to open my own place and give it some Scottish identity, so here we are.

“Sixteen years ago when we opened, we opened in a smaller location. There were only about 50 seats, but it had a great feel to it, and people liked it.

“Four years ago, we moved here, which, as you can see, is larger, and has a big patio, and we’ve got a room where we do whisky tasting events.

“There’s a lot more energy and a lot more things that we can do.

“And of course, with the draw for Scotland in Boston, it was like it was a nice moment, because we knew we could host a really big party for everyone.”