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World Cup boosted UK pubs with extra pints during group stages
The industry is pressing for hospitality VAT to be cut from 20% to 10%, but a proposal could cost the Treasury at least 10 billion pounds.
The World Cup delivered a short-term lift to the UK hospitality industry, with pubs drawing additional crowds and extending opening hours around matches, according to Guardian Economics. The outlet cited an estimate that pubs sold an extra 5.5 million pints in the group stages, helping offset a difficult backdrop for the sector. It also noted that communal match viewing provided a morale boost for fans, even as England and Scotland ended in disappointment.
The editorial said pubs are closing at a rate of two a day, with about 2,000 venues gone since 2020. It attributed the pressure to a long term shift away from going out, alongside rising costs including energy bills, business rates, wages, and national insurance contributions.
To sustain the momentum, the wider industry is campaigning to halve hospitality VAT from 20% to 10%. The Guardian Economics piece said more than 288,000 people have signed a petition and that the plan is unlikely to proceed because it could cost the Treasury at least 10 billion pounds, with concerns raised that nearly a quarter of pubs and restaurants are losing money.