These days, it’s rare that you get to stay in a pub past midnight. That’s because most boozers in the UK follow licensing laws that say they have to stop pulling pints and shut their doors at around 11pm. But sometimes, on particularly special occasions, the government relaxes those rules a little.
Punters got to enjoy an extra two hours at the bar last year during the men’s Euros and again for the 80th anniversary of VE Day this month. Now, the Home Office has declared that pubs will be allowed to stay open until 1am for the women’s Euros in July – but only if either the England or Wales teams make it to the semi-finals or final of the tournament.
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As the defending champions, England’s Lionesses are in with a pretty good chance of getting far in the competition. On the other hand, this is the first year that the Welsh women’s team has qualified for the tournament.
Diana Johnson, the UK’s policing minister, said: ‘Nothing quite brings people together like watching our national football teams. We want fans to enjoy every minute of these matches.’
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, called the decision ‘a positive and progressive move that recognises the growing popularity of women's football and its cultural significance across the UK’.
Wales will be playing their first match on July 5 against the Netherlands and England will be taking on France on the same day. The two semi-finals are scheduled for July 22 and 23 while the final is happening in Basel on July 27. If you want that sweet post-midnight pint, here’s hoping at least one of the home nations will be there!
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