Cheers! Pubs to be allowed to pour pints until 1am if a British team reaches next summer's World Cup quarter final
Pubs are set to be serving football fans until 1am if England reach the finals of next summer's World Cup.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wants to extend opening hours if the Three Lions - or any home nation - reach the quarters, semis or final.
Landlords and industry leaders cheered the news, saying it will give the hospitality sector a helping hand as it struggles with soaring bills, crippling taxes and the rising minimum wage.
Lawson Mounststevens, managing director of Heineken's Star Pubs, which runs 2,400 licensed premises in the UK, said: 'Big set piece events like the World Cup are massive for bringing people together and should be a huge boost for the economy. Typically we see trade increase by over 20 per cent during these tournaments.
'Extended hours will be welcomed by publicans across the country and we're all hoping England progress deep into the tournament.
'If you can't be at the games, nothing beats watching them in your local with a great pint.'
The proposed rules will allow pubs in England and Wales to stay open until 1am for games that kick off before 9pm. For games that start later, pubs will have to apply for permission.
Millions more pints will be sold if pubs manage to stay open until 1am. (Pictured: England fans celebrate during the 2022 World Cup)
Games at the 2026 tournament are likely to kick off later to help players cope with the heat in the US, Canada and Mexico. They could start as late as 2am UK time.
An estimated 55 million pints of beer are likely to be sold in Britain during the competition.
Emma McClarkin, of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: 'The pub has and always will be the home of live sport and there's no better place to gather under one roof during moments of huge national significance and make memories.
'Our sector plays a huge part in boosting community spirit and extending licensing hours will mean that people can gather for longer at their local to cheer on our brilliant teams.'
The Home Secretary can extend opening times on occasions of exceptional significance. They were loosened for the Women's Euros final this year and in 2022, as well as the Men's Euros final last year.
A six-week consultation on the proposals for next year started yesterday.
Ms Mahmood said: 'Our nations' pubs are going into extra time. This World Cup could be the first in over 60 years with every home nation there. The party won't end before the final whistle is blown. And in a personal capacity, I would like to add... It's coming home.'
