Police chiefs hit out at Starmer’s U-turn on late pub openings for England game and warn of surge in violent incidents
UK police chiefs have criticized the government’s decision to allow pubs to stay open until 5am on Monday amid concerns about the timing of the announcement.
Pubs will be able to keep their doors open long after July 6 to allow patrons to watch England’s World Cup match against Mexico, the government confirmed on Thursday.
But the National Police Chiefs’ Council, a group of UK police leaders, said the “late announcement” meant forces would have to adapt plans and move officers away from communities.
In a joint statement, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the NPCC’s head of football policing, and Chief Constable Scott Green, the NPCC’s acting head of alcohol licensing and harm reduction, said: “We know there will be significant public interest in England’s match on Monday morning and that most members of the public will want to gather in pubs and licensed venues to enjoy the event.
“We also know from previous tournaments that unfortunately there is an increase in violence and domestic abuse in the qualifying matches, especially in the night economy. This situation is directly linked to alcohol consumption.
The pair criticized the decision to announce the pub plan less than a week before the match, stating that the “likely route” of England’s progress in the tournament had been known for some time.
“From a policing perspective, our priority is to support people to enjoy the match safely and responsibly,” they said.
“We would therefore ask those watching the match to exercise caution, drink within reasonable limits and behave in ways that will keep you, your friends, staff, officers and the wider public safe.”
The comments came after Andy Trotter, a former deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, warned officers needed to “step up their preparations” for the event as later opening times “could cause problems”.
He told Radio 4’s Today program on Friday: “There can be problems when people go out at 4 or 5 in the morning and encounter teary-eyed passengers in the morning.
“So the police need to be ready for that, but my concern is that late notification to police forces means a lot of late shift changes, which is unfortunate.”
The government’s announcement on Thursday follows confirmation in February that pubs would be allowed to stay open until 2am if any of their countries advance to the knockout stages of the men’s football tournament.
The relaxation of alcohol licensing hours for the first time in a decade was implemented in rounds 32 and 16; “Just common sense tells you this is going to cause us more problems,” Mr. Roberts said in May.
But many hospitality businesses hope the World Cup will provide a much-needed boost to the UK economy.
In a summer without a World Cup, pubs can expect to sell 372 million pints between early June and late July, the tournament dates.
But the latest figures Independent The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) predicts England’s appearance in the World Cup final will boost sales by an extra £275 million and fans will drink 55 million more pints over the summer.
According to the BBPA, each World Cup match generates an extra £2.5 million to £5 million for the industry, with each bar expected to sell an extra 1,240 pints in the run-up to the final. This is equivalent to 625,000 50-litre kegs.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, previously said: “The World Cup will be a major boost for pubs and brewers across the UK, bringing fans together in the nation’s living room. This tournament will further cement pubs’ rightful place as homes for community and celebration, and this summer of sport can be a successful one for our local community.”
England will face Mexico on Monday morning at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City, for a 1am kick-off at 18:00 local time the day before.
For the latest World Cup updates and scores, you can follow The Independent’s comprehensive coverage on the ground.
