Keir Starmer to allow pubs to stay open until 5am for England v Mexico match
PM says ‘whole country will be backing the team’ for 1am game, as licensing hours extended after fierce backlashWorld Cup live – latest updatesPubs will be able to stay open until
By The Guardian
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to allow pubs across England to stay open until 5am for the World Cup match between England and Mexico on Monday. The game kicks off at 1am UK time and is expected to run until at least 3am, falling outside existing licensing rules that normally permit pubs to close at 2am for late-night matches.
Starmer, a die-hard Arsenal fan, is urgently exploring options to introduce emergency legislation in Parliament to lift restrictions for this one-off occasion, following fierce backlash from the hospitality industry and fans who want to support the national team. The match at the Azteca stadium in Mexico does not qualify for the current temporary extension of pub hours, which applies only to knockout games kicking off between 9pm and 10pm.
Pubs would otherwise need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice from their local council, but the deadline for such applications has already passed. Downing Street confirmed that the Housing and Communities Secretary has written to councils encouraging them to approve extended hours for these late games, while also stating that parents will make their own decisions on whether children should stay up late to watch the match.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has called for children to stay up and watch the game, though the Prime Minister has not endorsed this call. The hospitality sector could see millions in revenue from the extended opening, as fans gather in local establishments to cheer on the Three Lions in their crucial last-16 tie against Mexico.
Pubs have already been permitted to open late during England's previous knockout stage matches in the World Cup, but Monday's fixture requires a special intervention due to its unusual start time.