‘Weekday games were amazing’: pubs toast extra £150m in World Cup sales
📰 source: theguardian_business · 💼 business
pubs in the uk poured 30m extra pints during the world cup, generating £150m in additional sales, according to the british beer & pubs association. england's run to the semi-finals and late opening hours drove the uplift, outperforming euro 2024. the best day was england's early-morning game against mexico, with sales nearly doubling. three other games saw a two-thirds increase in transactions. payments provider dojo reported overall sales 16% higher than normal, with the world cup boost 9% better than euro 2024.
the sales surge was followed by a £100m aid package from andy burnham, including a 20% cut in business rates. pub owners reported massive increases on match days but noted quieter periods before and after games. dawn slater of garrick's head said sales more than doubled, while amy williams saw 300-400% increases on weekday games. however, the benefits were uneven, with restaurants struggling in hot weather. mitchells & butlers reported flat sales as pub gains were offset by declines at brands like toby carvery.
why it matters: world cup gave pubs a rare sales boost, but gains were uneven and short-lived amid industry pressures.
source: theguardian_business
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