Late-night plans set for Arun district pubs as England face Mexico at 1am
Residents in the Arun district are preparing for an early-hours World Cup night, as England national football team take on Mexico, in a round-of-16 clash kicking off at 1am on Monday (July 6).
Following an updated UK Government update, licensed premises across England and Wales may, in some cases, remain open until the end of the match, with some potentially trading until around 5am. The move reverses an earlier position that had ruled out further relaxation of licensing rules beyond existing World Cup arrangements.
Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "Football might be coming home but we're making sure fans don't have to.”
In a video, posted on social media, he added: “We’re making sure that pubs can stay open, early on Monday morning, for the England game.
"Lots of people are making their plans. If you are planning to watch it in the pub, that’s great, and it’s really good for pubs as well.
“So come on England!”
Before this was confirmed, a spokesperson for Arun District Council (ADC) said: “It’s too late to get any form of Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for the England match on Monday, most pub chains applied weeks ago just in case and are already granted.”
The announcement follows the UK Government’s ongoing commitment to support the pub sector through business‑rates relief, planning flexibilities, and targeted licensing reforms.
As part of this package, ministers have now confirmed that pubs will be permitted to stay open later – without the need to submit a TEN – for specific Home Nation fixtures during the tournament.
The ADC spokesperson added: "While the relaxation covers key late‑stage fixtures, the government has been clear that premises will still need to submit a TEN for any other matches where they wish to extend their hours.
"However, ministers have indicated that options are being explored to extend opening hours for additional Home Nation games, signalling that further flexibility may follow as the tournament approaches.”
Earlier this year, the government had passed an order enabling qualifying premises to extend their licensed hours until either 1am or 2am for certain World Cup matches. However, this only applied to matches that kick off between 5pm and 10pm.
Before the government U-turn was confirmed, extended hours did not apply, and so premises were only permitted to operate in line with the hours set out in their existing licence.
Across the Arun area, some venues are now planning for the occasion.
This includes The Bear Free House, in Clifton Road. A Facebook post read: “THE FLAG IS UP. This is a ticketed event with limited capacity. Last entry: 12:30AM. Pop into The Bear and pay behind the bar, or send us a direct message and we’ll get you booked in.
“This is a one-off event and tickets are expected to sell fast. Don’t miss the chance to experience England’s World Cup journey with the best atmosphere in town!
"As this is a late night event, we kindly ask all customers to respect our neighbours when arriving and leaving the pub. Please keep noise to a minimum and leave the area quietly. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
The Locomotive Wick, on Lyminster Road, meanwhile said customers can reserve a place by calling 01903 733331.
It added: “Please have the names of everyone in your group and the number of guests ready when booking. You must arrive by 11:00pm on Sunday 5th July. If you're not on the booking list or arrive after 11:00pm, you will be refused entry. Book early and cheer England on with us!”
If your public house is screening the match, let us know by emailing [email protected].