Theresa’s plan for extra time to toast the Royal bride and groom
PRINCE Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle will be toasted with late-night drinking sessions after Theresa May signalled the go-ahead for longer pub opening hours at the Royal Wedding weekend.
Her plan to allow bars to stay open on Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19, until 1am the next day will be only the fourth time that the special licensing powers have been invoked.
It will allow revellers to mark a double celebration: the FA Cup Final and Scottish Cup Final kick off on the same Saturday that Harry and Meghan will marry at Windsor Castle.
But objections could be raised by police and local authorities concerned about the public order consequences of near round-the-clock drinking.
Pubs can apply to extend their hours on an ad hoc basis. But under Section 172 of the Licensing Act, Ministers can extend the right for every licensed establishment across England and Wales to serve until 1am at times of ‘exceptional national significance’. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: ‘The Royal Wedding will be a time of national celebration and we want everyone to be able to make the most of such an historic occasion.’
North of the Border, where licensing hours are more relaxed, a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Many establishments in Scotland already have a licence to open until 1am. We wish the couple all the very best for their wedding day.’