UEFA EURO 2020 final | England pubs expected to sell 13 million pints on D-Day: Report

Bar staff serving drinks before the match between Ukraine v England at the Thistleberry pub, Newcastle-under-Lyme in Britain on July 3, 2021 (PC- Reuters/Carl Recine)

Ahead of the nail-biting UEFA EURO 2020 final between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London on July 11, reports arrived that British pubs are all set to sell around 13 million pints. However, strict rules on numbers of customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will deter them to get rescued from their already struggle-laden businesses.

Each time a football fiesta take place, data proves sales in bars or pubs showing sport are usually 200-300 percent higher on big match days in a normal year. Considering the special case of COVID-19 pandemic, the administration in Britain has imposed constraints on number of customers admissible in pubs.

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With the restrictions in place, it is expected that despite a hike in sales of pint during UEFA EURO 2020 final, it is just up by about 60 percent in comparison to past COVID-hit year.

"We are seeing an uplift in drinks sales on match days but because of capacity constraints it is nowhere near as much as it would usually be,” The Guardian quoted chief executive of industry trade body UKHospitality Kate Nicholls as saying. She added that pubs were only taking 70 percent of their usual sales as a rule.

As per British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimates, nearly 13 million pints will be sold on the D-Day, with just 7.1 million during the match itself only. Earlier sales might have been near to 17 million, but due to COVID restrictions, venues are at 50-60 percent of normal capacity.

Some of the pub owners are disappointed with the new COVID-19 restrictions as they say they could have “taken a lot more” customers. "It has brought people together though and pubs are the next best thing to being there," a pub owner in London and the south-east Fuller's said.

On the other hand, Campaign for Pubs organisation's Greg Mulholland said pubs were struggling despite Euros bringing extra trade, and cited table service challenging and costly. Apart from this, landlords cite licensing officials' warnings of being fined if fans got carried away.

"Publicans have worked incredibly hard to abide by the rules and regulations, but whatever the rules are, people will sing and celebrate if England win,” the daily quoted Mulholland as saying.

While there are some, like the Lord High Admiral in Plymouth's Alistair Skitt who is not looking forward to the task of policing Sunday’s fun. "Our main tactic has been to inform customers what is expected when they arrive, not after they have had a few," he said.

"Our staff make it very clear COVID rules are still being enforced: that customers have to wear masks when they go to the toilet, and there should be no excessive shouting and screaming at the screen, which is very difficult to enforce as I’m sure you can imagine," Skitt added. The die-hard England fan -- wearing his England shirt from Euro 1996 -- even claimed to have turned away 500 people.

The thrilling UEFA EURO 2020 final between England and Italy will begin at 12:30 AM IST (GMT+5.5) on July 12. It will be telecast in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam by Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). Fans can also watch the action unfold LIVE on SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 3, SONY SIX and SONY TEN 4 channels.