After a two week consultation period with the public, The Home Office have finally announced that they have overruled the original decision in rejecting pub extension hours during the World Cup. Whilst this is a victory for pubs and fans alike, a few concessions had to be made nonetheless.
The main outcome is that pubs will have have their hours extended for England matches only, which is fantastic news especially as their opening match against Italy on the 15th of June will start at 20:00 BST, meaning pubs will be allowed to stay open until 1:00AM. The other catch is that this only applies to games starting at 20:00 BST or later, meaning England's two other group matches against Costa Rica and Uruguay will not be affected by these announcements.
Pubs are an iconic part of England matches.
The extension of the opening hours does however cover any (probable) extra-time and (inevitable) penalty shout-outs so you won't be able to miss a thing.
This all comes in response after an arduous campaign from the British Beer & Pub Association which had fought the government since last Autumn for these changes, who said that this not only covers matches starting at 20:00 or later but also ensures a smooth dispersal from venues.
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers equally welcomed the news, claiming it would save over £2M per England game by allowing fans to watch the games in the pub. England's group matches include England v Italy Saturday 14 June; England v Uruguay Thursday 19 June; and England v Costa Rica Tuesday 24 June. To find out the best places in London to catch the very best the World Cup has to offer, follow this link here.
