A pub in Dallas, Texas, that sold over 5,000 beers to England fans before their World Cup opener was forced to close during a watch party for the Three Lions' win over Croatia. The Londoner Pub in Dallas said the fire marshal ordered an early closure after "the mayhem that descended on us," with social media footage showing the venue again crowded with England supporters.
Second Night of Disruptions
This marks the second consecutive night that England fans have caused a pub to shut down. On Tuesday, the pub was closed by fans, and on Wednesday, it was forced to shut again during the England and Croatia watch party. The Dallas Fire Department, along with police, made all fans leave the bar during the game, with just four minutes left on the clock.
Pub Statement
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the pub said it was "incredibly grateful for the business" but reminded guests that it was in a "complex of other businesses." The statement read: "We are closed for the rest of the day, on order of the fire marshal. Thank you to those of us who saw the mayhem that descended upon us and understand we did our very best to manage the situation. The sales are overinflated in reports and do not account for the destruction of our property and landscaping."
Fan Behavior
During the evening, fans were seen kicking a football onto the pub's balcony, with the ball occasionally landing on nearby vehicles. Plants were also dropped off the edge of the balcony by a small group. Despite the disruptions, a number of England fans stayed behind to help with clean-up efforts.
Police and Fire Marshal Intervention
Police officers entered the pub and ordered supporters to leave just before 10pm. After the venue was cleared, a large number of fans remained on the balcony for another couple of hours. The early closure was due to the venue reaching maximum capacity, with only two security guards on duty.
The Londoner Pub previously reported selling 2,352 bottles of beer and more than 5,000 beers in total, with around £30,000 in sales, though these figures have now been disputed. The pub said it would reopen its doors at 11am on Thursday.
