Pubs and bars in England and Wales will be able to pull pints until 1am during Euro 2024, but only if England or Scotland make it to the semi-finals or the final this summer.
Announcing the two hour extension to licensing laws, home secretary James Cleverly says he hopes the move will “allow friends, families and communities to come together for longer to watch their nation hopefully bring it home”.
It follows a 12 week public consultation to examine whether or not it would be a good idea to permit premised licensed to serve alcohol until 11pm normally to open for an extra two hours on certain match days.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, praised the news, saying it will provide a much needed boost to the hospitality industry. She comments: “We support the Home Office proposals to extend licensing hours for the semi-finals and final, should we reach that stage of the tournament.
“Major sporting events provide a huge revenue boost and extended hours are essential to allow venues and fans to take full advantage.”
The Euros kick-off in Germany on Friday 14th June with the semi-finals taking place on 9th and 10th July and the final scheduled for 14th July.
The two hour extension covers venues in England and Wales, with Scotland and Northern Ireland in charge of their own licensing rules.
