Bumper weekend for pubs and sport

Licensees and brewers are set to reap the rewards of the latest sporting events, which kicked off with an extra 16 million pints of beer sold over last weekend alone.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says the weekend of England's crucial Euro qualifier against Turkey and the start of the Rugby World Cup meant pubs and brewers saw a huge increase in beer sales.

And the trend is set to continue with 300 million pints expected to be drunk during the tournament.

"At least 16 million pints were sold as fans celebrated the Turkey triumph and great business in food sales were generated as pubs cashed in on the breakfast feast of international rugby," said Mark Hastings, director of communications at the BBPA.

"The first weekend was a foretaste of the opportunities that there are for pubs up and down Britain as the Rugby World Cup gets rolling."

The event, which is being held in Australia in October and November, will see some matches start as early as 4am.

It was estimated that last year's Football World Cup brought in an extra £165m for the trade and licensees could also be reaping the benefits of opening early to show Rugby World Cup matches.

Indications are that magistrates have been happy to grant early licences for pubs to show the matches.

In April last year High Court judge Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf dismissed case law from 1978 which said the Football World Cup was not a "special occasion" and should not be grounds for extended hours.

At the High Court hearing Martin Gough, licensee of John Barras pub the White Hart in Bristol, challenged case law by arguing times have changed and watching sport in pubs is now a part of British culture.

The judge said future applications would be considered individually but added they would be viewed favourably from pubs that demonstrate they provide suitable facilities for fans.