Pubs look to share in £48m Euro 2024 final beer boom

Pubs across Greater Manchester are hopeful of a much-needed boost from England's Euro 2024 final appearance.

Industry experts predict about 10 million extra pints will be sold across the UK on Sunday when Gareth Southgate's men play Spain in Berlin - an extra £48m in trade.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimates that in the North West, a minimum of 1.1 million extra drinks are likely to be sold in the region's 5,247 pubs.

Andy Tighe, from the BBPA, said: "The other bit of good news for pubs in the North West is that the vast majority are licenced to stay open until 1am on Sunday night.

"It will give fans even more time to support their pub.

Some pubs in the region have already seen an uplift in trade from capitalising on Euro 20204 fever.

The Church Inn, in Swinton, has had record takings during the tournament, landlady Steph Savage told BBC Radio Manchester.

More than 200 people packed the pub inside and out for England's 2-1 semi-final defeat of the Netherlands.

Ms Savage said she was surprised by the turnout for a midweek kick-off.

"Because it was an 8pm kick-off on a Wednesday I thought it would be busy, but not rammed.

"Boy, was I wrong, because I think the whole of Swinton was in the pub.

"From 5pm onwards we were packed, we reached capacity at 6pm, and then I didn't know what to do with people coming in."

Ms Savage added that she was trying not to think about the clean-up operation, but added "if it means we win, [people] can throw all their pints everywhere".

The BBPA said about 500 British pubs closed down in 2023.

Its spokesman Mr Tighe said: "Some of the challenges of the last few years have started to fade.

"Sky high energy prices have come down, inflation is getting better and hopefully the pressure on people's pockets will start to ease for a little bit.

"What the Euros shows us is that big occasions will bring more people out.

"Clearly, the pub owners in Swinton have gone to massive efforts to do just that during the Euros and really make a point of going the extra mile to bring people in and create that real sense of community, togetherness and a real atmosphere that people want to come to."

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