A consultation on the extension closed last week. It was sparked by calls from the Prime Minister, who ordered the Home Office to reconsider its decision not to allow late licenses.
An application on behalf of all pubs was submitted to allow them to stay open between 11pm and 1am on 13 and 14 June. The Home Office initially rejected the bid, saying the World Cup was not a "one-off event" like a Royal wedding.
However, today the Government called England's presence at the World Cup "an occasion of national significance" and granted a relaxation of the licensing hours for England's matches starting at 8pm or after. This will allow pubs to serve for four hours after kick-off until 1am at the latest.
It means all pubs will be able to take advantage of extra time for England's opener against Italy on Saturday, 14 June (11pm kick-off) and the Uruguay clash on Thursday, 19 June (8pm).
Green light
Its response to the consultation said: “The Government has listened to the views received in response to the consultation and in discussion with partners has decided to proceed with the proposal to relax licensing hours nationally for England’s World Cup matches.
“The relaxation will occur during England matches in the World Cup with a scheduled kick off time of 8pm or later. It will be for the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment for consumption on the premises. The relaxation will last four hours, to a latest time of 1am. This length of time covers any extra time and penalties, and will also mean that customers are likely to leave premises gradually after the match, minimising any nuisance to the public.”
Great news
Brigid Simmonds, British Beer & Pub Association chief executive, welcomed the announcement, saying: “It’s really great news, which will put pubs at the heart of a great national event. I am particularly pleased that the Government has really listened, and made sure that common sense prevailed, granting the full four hours after kick off for England games, as we had asked.”
“I’d like to thank the hundreds in the pub trade who responded, making our views loud and clear.”
Kate Nicholls, strategic director at the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said: "This is a great result for the industry which will ensure that football fans can enjoy the excitement of the World Cup in the enjoyable atmosphere of the pub."
Good save
She added: “The relaxation will alleviate the need for thousands of pubs and bars to apply for costly and time-consuming Temporary Event Notices, saving the industry and local authorities around £2,500,000 per England game and will ensure a much welcome boost in trade.
“The full, four-hour relaxation will also ensure that fans will be able to disperse in a safe and orderly fashion at full time. The pub remains one of the safest and friendly places to enjoy high profile sport, and we are pleased to see the Government acknowledging this.”
Nigel Wright, chief operating officer of managed pub and bar group TCG said: “This is a welcome result which will help to ensure a great atmosphere in pubs during the World Cup. We are gearing up for a Festival of Football this summer and encouraged all our managers to respond to the Home Office consultation. As with the action on alcohol duty in the budget, it shows that the government will listen to the trade’s concerns when we show a united front.”
The Government has said it expects roughly half of the country's pubs to screen England's World Cup matches. It estimates between 28,000 and 32,000 pubs will show the games, with 9,000 to 17,000 other licensed premises also screening them.