Welcome to Repino: Squeaking pigs ready to welcome England at the Stroganoff Grill

Delivered on a plate | Waiters including Aziz Zhusupov and Shah Amrahov play football in Repino, which will host England’s World Cup preparations. They described the town as “quite boring”
Ben Morgan/Evening Standard
Ben Morgan11 June 2018

England were promised a warm welcome at their World Cup base of Repino as locals called the town “quiet, peaceful but incredibly boring”.

Gareth Southgate’s team will touch down in Saint Petersburg tomorrow evening and make the 45-minute coach trip to the spa resort on the Baltic coast for pre-tournament preparations.

England’s sprawling base at the secluded ForRestMix country club sits behind an 8ft fence in the middle of a dense forest of pine and birch.

The £95-a-night resort is near the town “centre” - comprising four run-down convenience stores, a chemists’ and a supermarket selling fine wine and meats.

A group of waiters playing football on a public pitch next to the England hotel said Repino was ready to welcome the team.

“The people are happy they are here. Repino is a quiet place and quite boring,” said Aziz Zhusupov, 22. “I have never met a British person before, but I’m a big fan of So Graham Norton. I’m trying to learn more English. I love England.

“It is exciting having England here but I am disappointed too. My favourite player was Joe Hart so I’m sad he’s not here.”

ForRestMix Club: England's FIFA 2018 World Cup Base

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Shah Amrahov, 28, who described himself as a Leicester City fan, added: “I think the team will get a good welcome. I’m excited to see Jamie Vardy because I love his speed.

“The team might have a surprise though. This town is very quiet and peaceful but incredibly boring. It’s a place people come to rest. There is not much to do here aside from going to work.”

If Southgate allows his players to leave their hotel, they are likely to head to the Stroganoff Bar and Grill, a 10-minute walk away.

It serves “fine cuts of steak and traditional Russian delicacies” while diners are entertained by live music.

Musicians Valerie Sylaeva and Viktor Grishin perform traditional Russian folk songs while using musical props such as rubber chickens and squeaking plastic pigs.

Valerie said: “It is so fun that the players are coming here. I hope they come by and see us playing music. They will have a good time here. We play for Russian football fans quite a lot. We will give the England team a taste of our hospitality if they decide to visit. It will be fun.”

Karen Bagaryan, 27, a former bartender at ForRestMix, said: “The hotel is very luxurious for this area and the staff will look after them and make them feel at home.

“It’s exciting and its unusual for them to choose here. It’s one of the biggest things ever for Repino.” The poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, in Salisbury in March, has cast a shadow over England’s participation in the tournament.

But Mr Bagaryan added: “Politics and sport should be separate. There’s no bad feelings against the English.

“Many Russians will support England as a second team. They are our guest.”

The Evening Standard travelled to Russia for the 2018 World Cup with British Airways.

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