World Cup matches could see UK pubs open until 2am in welcome boost for boozers
Pubs could be allowed to stay open into the early hours of the morning to show matches from the men's World Cup this summer, after the Government said it would relax rules to help venues.
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Last orders may not be called until 1am or 2am, Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson told MPs, as he said pubs could have longer opening hours to account for knockout games featuring the home nations.
England and Scotland have already qualified for the competition that will span North America. Both nations' final placing in the group stages mean any fixtures in the Round of 32 may not begin until midnight or 2am.
Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could also qualify for the tournament if they win their play-off fixtures. The World Cup will kick off on June 11.
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Speaking during a statement in the House of Commons to announce a support package for business rates for pubs, Mr Tomlinson said: "I can also announce today that pubs and other licensed venues will be able to open until 1am or 2am depending on when the game starts for home nation games in the later stages of the men's football World Cup this summer.
"And we will legislate to increase the number of temporary events notices for pubs and other hospitality venues, whether that is to help them screen World Cup games or other community and cultural events."
Last week Parliament passed a Bill which would make it easier to allow pubs to open later for football matches or other national occasions.
However, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney, said people who were not football fans should be catered to.
Ms Olney said: "We have a diverse and varied hospitality sector in my constituency of Richmond Park, and it supports lots of different communities, including those who don't go to pubs - parents of young children, people who don't drink, faith groups, dare I say it, people who don't want to watch the football.
"And so they have different needs, they want to go to cafes, they want to go soft play centres. So why is the Government focusing this relief just on pubs?"
Mr Tomlinson replied: "(Ms Olney) may not wish to watch the football, that's fine, that's her decision.
"We're also consulting, she'd be interested to know, on whether we can extend these longer licensing powers to other events.
"So she'll have to let me know if there are other events that she would like to go and watch in a pub, and they can be part of the consultation."