Pubs will fight to open early and serve alcohol for World Cup
The trade is gearing up for a battle with magistrates after they ruled that pubs could not open early to serve alcohol during England's World Cup matches.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has vowed that, if necessary, it is prepared to fight to overturn a ruling made in 1978 that televised football is not a special occasion and does not warrant extended hours.
Licensing officials have come under heavy fire from the trade after refusing to allow licensee Maurice Fermoy, who runs the Buck and Bell in Banbury, Oxfordshire, to open early for England's match against Sweden on June 2.
Avid football fans and angry licensees have since inundated the Magistrates' Association (MA) and the Justices' Clerks' Society (JCS) with emails urging them to reconsider.
The BBPA has now put its weight behind the latest application by licensee Martin Gough of the White Hart pub in Brislington, Bristol, whose case is due to be heard later today (Thursday).
If Bristol magistrates oppose the application, the BBPA says it will challenge the law, which stems from a similar case during the 1978 World Cup in Argentina when licensees were also denied extended hours.
The trade will argue that times have changed and the pub is now widely recognised as the top place to watch live football.
Mr Gough said: "The face of football has changed over the last 20 or so years. It's not just about the England matches, the World Cup is a special event in itself."
The BBPA's Mark Hastings said: "The World Cup is a national celebration and we are determined to get rid of case law that is more than 20 years old."
Scottish & Newcastle, which owns the pub, said it was also prepared to take the matter to the High Court.
An NOP survey confirmed that people would rather watch the football than celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
Twice as many people said they would be watching the football as celebrating the Jubilee.
Writing on the Magistrates' Association's website, one football supporter said: "To say that football is not important and non-participatory is an insult to the millions of fans who will be following the World Cup."
In response to the attacks, the MA's Anne Flintham said: "We are just following advice from the JCS which has said the decision has to be based on case law from 1978."
The JCS defended its decision saying it had to uphold case law until it was challenged.
Related stories:
Extensions for World Cup fail (14 February 2002)
Publican's bid to open early for World Cup looks bleak (7 February 2002)
World Cup opening hours face objections from police (15 November 2001)
World Cup opening is still in balance (8 November 2001)
Pubs given nod to sell alcohol from 6am for World Cup matches (2 November 2001)
Early kick-off for World Cup means publicans may miss out on money-spinner (14 September 2001)
