Five million pints set to be sunk for Euros game

FOOTBALL fans are set to buy more than five million pints when England face off against Germany in their Euro 2020 game tomorrow at Wembley, a pub trade body has said.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) hopes eight million pints will be sold tomorrow, with 5.25 million of those served during the last-16 fixture between the Three Lions and Germany.

It’s bound to be a good night for Burton-based brewer Molson Coors, whose products include the UK’S bestselling beer, Carlsberg lager.

But it would be an even better night, says the BBPA, if coronavirus restrictions had been lifted on June 19.

It estimates beer sales will be 1.3 million pints lower during England’s match than if it was shown in pubs without restrictions.

The trade body claimed this will result in more than £5 million revenue lost to pubs in England during the game. It said some of its members had reported beer sales were lower than hoped for during the Euro 2020 tournament so far.

Under current coronavirus restrictions in England, pub customers must follow the rule of six, or two households, when in groups, observe social distancing and consume food and alcohol at tables.

According to a BBPA survey of 1,000 pub-goers at the end of May, 85 per cent of pub-visiting football fans believe current Covid-19 restrictions will negatively impact their experience of watching Euro 2020 at pubs this summer.

Half said they would be more likely to watch games at a pub if all restrictions were lifted. Emma Mcclarkin, BBPA chief executive, said: “No matter the occasion, England versus Germany is always a big match.”

She added: “We know many pubs haven’t experienced the boost to their trade which they’d hoped for from the Euros. “No standing and limits on group sizes, as well as social distancing, are severely reducing the number of people who can enjoy the Euros at the pub. With that said, there is still no better place to watch live sport on the telly than at the pub.

“I implore Three Lions fans to support England and the pub by cheering on the Three Lions at their local.”

England take on Germany in the last16 match at Wembley Stadium at 5pm tomorrow. TV coverage is on BBC1 from 4pm.