England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway on Saturday is expected to generate a near half-billion pound windfall for the UK economy, as fans flock to pubs, fan zones and cinemas to watch the match. Estimates from GlobalData on behalf of VoucherCodes.co.uk project a total uplift of £493.6m across the economy, with the England-Norway clash alone accounting for £385m.
Pubs and bars are bracing for a surge in trade, with the British Beer & Pubs Association forecasting an extra 5.5m pints to be poured on Saturday, worth £27.5m. UKHospitality reported that pub sales on matchdays have already risen 77% compared with a typical Tuesday. Venues such as Boxpark in London and Liverpool are reporting sell-outs for watch parties, with chief executive Matt Snell noting each match can generate £500,000 in sales.
The Kenton Arms in London, a hub for the Norwegian diaspora, expects a majority Norwegian crowd owner Egil Johansen described the tournament as '100% an extra boost' after reaching capacity for earlier games. Meanwhile, outdoor fan zones and cinemas are also cashing in. The Co-op Live venue in Manchester sold out its 2,000-capacity fanzone in 48 hours.
Retailers are benefiting too, with AO.com reporting a 23% year-on-year increase in TV sales throughout June as households prepare to watch at home. Delivery services have seen spikes: Deliveroo reported nearly double overnight orders during England's previous match, with sparkling wine and popcorn orders tripling before kick-off. Supermarket Tesco saw a surge in Whoosh orders during the Mexico game.
