Government plans to suspend outdoor ale licences during matches so football fans can drink ‘pavement pints’ in a bid to boost the ailing hospitality industry
Brits are set to drink 11 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of booze in a £3.8bn World Cup bonanza – including a vat of ‘pavement pints’.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer plans to make it easier for bars to serve outdoor ale during matches by suspending the need for licences.
The Government has already announced pub hours will be extended until up to 2am for England and Scotland late kick-offs in the knock-out stages – to the fury of cops.
They have moaned that not requiring landlords to log late-night opening by applying for extensions in the usual way will make it harder to keep tabs on potential trouble hotspots.
But the plan to drown the nation in ‘Keir’s beers’ is likely to see Brits’ bar tab hit a record total during next month’s tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada, according to spending analyst VoucherCodes.co.uk.
Around 34.9 million Brits – half the population – is expected to tune in on telly. With a record 48 teams taking part, the tournament has been extended from 39 days instead of 32, opening up an extra week of spending.
Experts reckon 58.6m pints of beer will be drunk by watching fans – with another 3.5 million chucked into the air in moments of celebration.
Supermarkets will get a £2.9bn boost while pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs will benefit to the tune of up to £1bn.
A VoucherCodes.co.uk spokesman said: “With late match times and Brits’ budgets stretched to the max 31.2m fans will watch from home while 12.4m head to their local boozer.
“Retailers can gear up for a mega £2.9bn heading their way as Brits splurge on the ultimate at-home set-ups.
“Supermarkets are set to do especially well with an eye-watering £1.95bn set to be spent on groceries.
“Electricals (£0.33bn), sportswear (£0.30bn), merch (£0.13bn) and garden set-ups (£0.13bn) will all see a healthy boost in sales too.
“It wouldn’t be a World Cup without the great British pint and this year is no exception.
“Over the tournament, 58.5 million pints of beer are set to be guzzled by fans – that’s equivalent to 11 Olympic size swimming pools.
“A further 3.5 million pints will be flung into the air in goal celebrations.
“If England plays well, this number could skyrocket even further, with 51% of fans saying they’ll drink more if their team is winning.”
The company’s savings expert, Clair Hughes, urged fans to budget wisely so they do not run out of cash during the marathon tournament.
“The World Cup is the perfect excuse to bring together friends and family, but cheering on the Three Lions can quickly become expensive,” she said.
“Our data shows that spending on this year’s tournament is on track to reach new heights as Brits turn the World Cup into the event of the summer.”
She advises folk hosting football parties should get guests to ‘bring a dish’ to share the cost, watch out for supermarket food and drink specials and scour the internet for bargains.
Fans should also consider watching a ticketed event in a pub or club.
“While it might seem counterintuitive paying for a ticket to watch the World Cup it could actually be a steal,” said Clair.
“These events often include a drink or two as well as the chance to see England play on the big screen, meaning they’re often great value for money if you’re a mega football fan.”
London’s Flat Iron Square has just released a further 600 new tickets for England games screened at its fan hub after the first batch sold out.
The venue has released an additional 180 tickets for the opening match against Croatia and 230 for each of the other group games against Ghana and Panama. The £20 fee includes a free pint of Pravha lager plus a DJ and live entertainment.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive officer of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “The World Cup will be an important boost for Britain’s pubs and brewers bringing fans together in the nation’s living room.
“This tournament will further cement pubs’ rightful place as the home for community and celebrations, and this summer of sport could prove to be a summer of success for our locals.”
Veteran finance expert David Buik, who has studied the economy for six decades, said a win for England or Scotland would boost the nation’s mood.
“Socialising would increase. Winning could lift the economy by 1% of GDP for at least a quarter,” he said.
“The flip side of that is what could it cost us if the team crash out early? If Harry Kane misses the key penalty that sends us out in the semi-final what does he owe the rest of us?
“Should we bill him individually? He can probably afford to pay.”
Simon French, chief economist at Panmure Liberum in the City, says: “The economy is very much in need of a shot in the arm of animal spirits.
“If a World Cup win helps spark this then it can be very material. If not the froth in the economy will fade as quickly as the froth on the beer.”