C'mon England! Shropshire pubs set to be packed out as World Cup fever grips
For the last 12 years there hasn’t been too much to shout about for England fans.
Failed World Cup’s and European Championships have left fans dejected but this current crop has lit up the country from top to bottom.
And the World Cup fever has swept through the region’s pubs and homes and is set to increase even further tomorrow as the Three Lions face Sweden for a place in the semi-final.
Pubs and bars around the country have been reporting bumper crowds for World Cup games, however with this game being on a Saturday more people are expected to hit the pubs ahead of the big game.
Vicky Payne, licensee at the Prince of Wales on Bynner Street in Shrewsbury, is anticipating another packed out afternoon.
The pub has always been a big sporting pub, and was voted CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
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She said: “It has been fantastic so far, the atmosphere has been great here.
“We’re quite lucky here anyway because we are very well supporting by the community around us and they have come out in force to support the world cup.
“It has just been a great atmosphere and the kids and families have come out, and I am sure more people will come out again on Saturday.
“We haven’t really seen profits go up, there have been bigger crowds but people have been coming in at different times.
“We always have sport on for the big games, a lot of Shrewsbury fans come here so they have been coming here.
“Saturday will be busier as the other games have been on week nights, so we’re really looking forward to it.”
Vicky and her staff will be putting on complimentary food for punters, and keeping the children and dogs refreshed with ice lollies as England look to progress further.
They’ve also been giving people the chance to win prizes.
She added: “We have been doing score predictions just before kick off so people can win prizes, and that has added to the atmosphere.” Across town in the Charles Darwin pub, licensee Cathy Haddock is preparing to fire up the barbecue to keep England fans well fed during England’s biggest game in a decade.
She added: “It was very good on Tuesday, everyone was out to watch it the decorations are up and it has been great.
“Saturday is going to be even bigger and we might get the barbecue out save us cooking in the kitchen.
“And it is about time that football came home.”
The pub or your own front room aren’t the only places where the football will be on. Criftins Village Hall will be having a big screen on to show the game, just three months are it was saved and re-opened.
Trust chairman John Barker added: “The hall is run completely by volunteers and profits are ploughed back into the hall.
“People can enjoy watching England here and help secure the future of the hall.”
One pub that will be doing everything to pack people in is the The Pheasant, in Newport.
Landlord Paul Quinn has played football locally for decades, and seen five World Cups since running the pub.
He also put together a side to play Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly at Lilleshall one World Cup year.
More than 600 fans packed in to see England’s penalty drama on Tuesday, and he will be doing everything he can to pack an even bigger crowd in on Saturday.
He said: “It has been cracking, it provides a real bonus for pubs and the atmosphere has been brilliant. We’ve got the 15 TVs so everyone will get in and see the game. We’ve got a big drum, drumming up the atmosphere and business, and it is going to be great. Hopefully football is coming home.”
Supermarkets gearing up for weekend demand
Supermarkets are stocking their shelves for a bonanza weekend as peak summer barbecue weather combined with football fever look set to send tills ringing.
Tesco said this was already the best summer for barbecue meat sales for several years, while demand for beer last week was the strongest of the year so far, but less than the predicted 50 million bottles and cans it expects to sell this week.
The UK’s largest retailer predicts it will sell almost 3.5 million sausages this week, four million burgers and three million punnets of strawberries.
Tesco barbecue foods buyer Natalie Bastow said: “Fantastic weather and the world’s biggest sporting event are creating a real carnival atmosphere across Britain this week.
“The mere mention of a heatwave from weather forecasters is enough to change shopping plans and judging by present sales many people are enjoying al fresco dining right now.”
Asda said it was expecting a 1,966 per cent increase in sales of sausages, meatballs and barbecues on last week and is preparing to sell one million kilograms of charcoal.
The supermarket also announced any staff needing time off to watch England’s clash with Sweden on Saturday were free to request shift swaps and those left working could wear football shirts.
On Saturday alone, Asda expects to sell more than 750,000 packs of beer and cider and 4.6 million cans and bottles of beer.
Co-op trading manager Adrian Prior said: “Co-op sales soar when the sun comes out, but with the England game also taking place on Saturday we’re gearing up for our busiest barbecue weekend of the year so far. As a business, we have increased stock to keep barbecues hot and the drinks cold.”
