This from the official site:
‘As part of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council have adopted the following measures to combat drinking in public places.
The council have made an order under the Local Authority Regulations and set out designated areas throughout the borough, banning the consumption of alcohol.
The area specified in this order encompasses all the built up areas of Trafford Borough including the area around Manchester United Football Club, all the surrounding roads and forecourt of the club.
This law basically means that if you are caught drinking alcohol in one of these designated areas you will be liable to prosecution, have the alcohol confiscated and could face a fine of up to £500.
It must also be pointed out that failure to surrender the alcohol to a Police Officer for confiscation is an arrestable offence. Our advice to all fans therefore, would be don’t drink alcohol whilst walking to the game, nor buy any en-route for that purpose. We will start enforcing the law very soon and would ask for your cooperation in complying with this, and spreading the word to the other fans.’