'It's really good for all the pubs' - Bars prepare for long night as 1am England kick off approaches
Bar managers across South Tyneside are preparing for a very late shift as England’s latest World Cup fixture approaches.
Pubs across South Tyneside are gearing up for a big start to the week as England’s World Cup campaign continues with a 1am kick off on Monday.
Managed by Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions will face joint-hosts Mexico in their home Azteca Stadium in the nation’s capital.
It will be the first time since the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea that obscure kick off times will impact fans who haven’t travelled to North America for the tournament, but pubs will remain open for the experience.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced pubs across the nation can remain open until 5am on Monday, July 6 to allow fans to watch the game including any potential injury time or dreaded penalty shoot outs.
“We want to encourage people to enjoy the World Cup, it only comes around once every four years” explained Callum Mason, the Head Operator of Hogarth’s in South Shields town centre.
“We just want people to enjoy themselves”
The bar will remain open through the night as an unticketed event for any England fans wanting to push through the late kick off.
He added: “We’ve had quite a few asking if we were going to be open. We already had plans in place so we were going to be open anyway. It was always in the plan.
“We just want people to enjoy themselves.”
Before the Prime Minister’s announcement, bars would have needed five working days to apply for an extension to opening hours. With England’s last game taking place on the evening of Wednesday, July 1, not enough time would be available to supply the application.
Hogarth’s was also open for the Scotland group stage fixture which kicked off at the same time as the upcoming England game.
“It’s been tricky” adds Callum, talking about staffing requirements. “Depending on the route England went down it was always going to be an interesting one.
“If you work in the industry long enough you know these things can happen” he adds, having worked in bars and pubs across the North East.
“The staff are jumping at the chance”
South Tyneside bars are keeping other parts of their sites open too, with the Beggars Bridge in East Boldon offering food from 11pm, two hours before kick off. Live music will also be on until 10pm.
“The staff are jumping at the chance” jokes Kyle Hay, manager at the bar.
“It’ll be good for the business” he adds.
“It’ll be beneficial for us to stay open. It’ll be really good for all the pubs to have people come out and enjoy it.”
Kyle added the pub has already been busier than the team expected for the England fixtures so far this summer.
Speaking of the Prime Minister’s decision he added: “I was really happy about it. It means everyone in the community can enjoy it in the pubs - and it’ll be good for business! We’ve had quite a few enquiries.”
Other pubs across the borough are also getting into the late game spirit, with the Last Orders in South Shields encouraging customers to watch the game in their pajamas at a ticketed ‘cosy and comfy’ themed watch party.