Pubs face fight for World Cup trade

Related tags World cup Association football

Pubs have been warned they face tough competition from restaurants vying for the extra early morning trade during the World Cup.Compass Group, which...

Pubs have been warned they face tough competition from restaurants vying for the extra early morning trade during the World Cup.

Compass Group, which owns the Little Chef chain of restaurants, this week became the first such company to announce it will be putting up big screens in all its 350 Little Chef outlets. It is also offering a special "kick-off" breakfast menu.

Because the tournament is being played in Japan and South Korea, some of the matches will be screened in the early morning in the UK.

Many customers will watch the matches on their way to work and will be looking for a decent breakfast rather than a pint. Licensees have been urged to put on a breakfast menu and make sure there is a range of quality soft drinks on offer.

Georgina Wald, spokeswoman for the British Institute of Innkeeping, said she hoped the unbeatable atmosphere in pubs would help pull in customers.

She said: "Licensees should be aware that a lot of people will be looking to eat while they watch these matches and may choose a restaurant rather than a pub. In order to compete, publicans have to ensure things like coffee and fruit juice are on offer and are up to scratch."

She added that licensees should consider contacting local businesses offering to book tables for matches. Football fans will spend around £1bn during the World Cup finals according to a Royal Bank of Scotland survey.

Figures released this week predict that each fan is likely to spend an average of £9 on food and drink for each match, whether this is in the pub, at a restaurant or at home.

As World Cup fever intensifies over the coming weeks, publicans should be on the spot to cash in. We examine what's in store, taking a look at: