A snap poll conducted by The Standard has found that more than a third of Londoners intend to skip work on Monday after England's World Cup match against Mexico in the early hours of the morning. The survey, which spoke to 102 individuals around Liverpool Street and Moorgate, revealed that 35% of respondents admitted they would be bunking off work following the 1am kick-off at the Azteca.
Government Allows Extended Pub Hours
The announcement comes as the government confirmed that pubs in England and Wales can now remain open until 5am after the game. This move follows pressure from London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who urged the government to extend licensing laws so that Londoners can support local pubs and cheer on England.
According to the poll, only 20% of those surveyed (21 individuals) said they would be working as usual on Monday morning. Meanwhile, 7% (7 people) had booked the day off specifically for the match, and 18% (19 people) planned to work from home.
Creative Excuses and Plans
Among the 36 Londoners who confessed to bunking off, eight admitted they would pretend to work from home by occasionally moving their mouse or tapping their keyboard. One sales industry worker revealed he would schedule fake meetings to appear busy. Another Londoner, James, a 37-year-old electrician, said he couldn't work from home but expected a difficult Monday morning due to a hangover.
Oli, a sports analyst, stated: “Real England fans will pull a sickie or work through the pain. If England win, I won’t be going to bed until Tuesday anyway!” A woman who had booked the day off weeks ago said she would stay up with her son to watch the game.
Mixed Reactions and Calls for Bank Holiday
While 18% of respondents said they would not watch the game or would catch highlights later, some called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to declare a national bank holiday regardless of the outcome. However, the government has ruled out a public holiday. Despite this, the extension of pub opening hours until 5am was welcomed across the country.
Skills minister Baroness Smith urged parents to ensure their children attend school on Monday. She said: “Parents will make their own decision. What I will say is, I will be watching but I'll be in work the next morning as well. Kids have to be in school in order to be learning, and that's what I would ask parents to reflect on. All of us need to go into work on Monday to celebrate England's victory against Mexico.”
Thousands of Londoners clocked off early on Wednesday to watch England beat Congo in a nail-biting match in Atlanta, with some claiming they would rather be jobless than miss an England game.
