- Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed a relaxation of licensing laws to allow pubs to remain open until the early hours for England's World Cup match against Mexico on Monday.
- The Three Lions' game against Mexico is scheduled to kick off at 1am UK time, falling outside the existing extended licensing hours that permit pubs to stay open late for matches starting between 5pm and 10pm.
- The hospitality industry is likely to benefit significantly from this change, as existing rules for extended hours do not cover such late kick-off times, and it was too late for pubs to apply for Temporary Event Notices (TENs).
- Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, has expressed concerns to the government prior to the announcement, highlighting that it would be a “crying shame” if pubs could not host such an important match.
- The previous England match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, which saw England captain Harry Kane secure a spot in the round of 16, attracted a massive audience of 16.3 million viewers across BBC One and iPlayer.
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