UK police chiefs have criticised the government’s decision to let pubs stay open until 5am on Monday over concerns around the timing of the announcement.
Pubs will be able to keep their doors open much later on 6 July to allow customers 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” means forces will have to adapt plans and take officers away from communities.
In a joint statement, chief constable Mark Roberts, NPCC lead for football policing, and acting chief constable Scott Green, NPCC lead for alcohol licensing and harm reduction, said: “We recognise there will be significant public interest in England’s match on Monday morning and that many of the public will want to come together in pubs and licensed venues to enjoy the occasion.
“We also know from previous tournaments the knock out games sadly see an increase in violent incidents particularly in the night time economy and an increase in domestic abuse. This is directly linked to alcohol consumption.
The pair add that the “likely route” for England’s progression in the tournament has been known for some time, criticising the decision to announce the pub plan less than a week before the match.
“From a policing perspective, our priority is to support people to enjoy the match safely and responsibly,” they said.
“We therefore ask those watching the game to be considerate – drink within sensible limits, and behave in a way that keeps you, your friends, staff, officers and the wider public safe.”
The comments come after Andy Trotter, a former deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, warned that officers will have to “gear up” for the event, as the later opening hours could “lead to trouble”.
He told Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday: “There could well be issues as people come out at 4 or 5 in the morning, bumping into the morning bleary-eyed commuters.
“So the police have got to be ready for this, but my anxiety is the late notice for police forces means a lot of late shift changes, which is the unfortunate.”
Downing Street said it had engaged with policing partners “throughout” preparations for the World Cup.
“England's progression in the tournament was confirmed on Wednesday evening, and we announced plans as quickly as possible following this,” a No 10 spokeswoman said.
“And more broadly, we've engaged with policing partners throughout preparations for the World Cup, and we are grateful for their flexibility and professionalism throughout.”
The government’s announcement on Thursday comes after it confirmed in February that pubs will be allowed to stay open until 2am if any of the home nations make it to the knockout stage at the men’s football tournament.
It is the first time in a decade that the relaxation of alcohol licensing hours has applied to the round of 32 and 16 – with Mr Roberts saying in May that “just common sense tells you that is going to give us more problems”.
But many hospitality businesses are hoping the World Cup will give the UK economy a much-needed boost.
In a non-World Cup summer, pubs might expect to sell 372m pints between early June and late July, the dates of the tournament.
But recent figures for The Independent from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimate an England appearance in the World Cup final would raise an extra £275m in sales, with fans drinking 55 million more pints over the summer.
According to the BBPA, each World Cup game generates an extra £2.5m to £5m to the industry, with each pub estimated to sell an extra 1,240 pints in the run-up to the final. That is the equivalent of 625,000 50-litre kegs.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, previously said: “The World Cup will be an important boost for Britain’s pubs and brewers, bringing fans together in the nation’s living room. This tournament will further cement pubs’ rightful place as the home for community and celebrations, and this summer of sport could prove to be a summer of success for our locals.”
England face Mexico on Monday morning for a 1am kickoff at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City, which is 6pm the previous day in the country’s local time.
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