Pub owners see boost during Euro 2024

The football this summer has attracted more customers, a pub owner has said

Pubs have reported an increase in customers during the Euro 2024 championships, despite England's defeat in the final.

One pub owner in Warwickshire said the live football had been welcomed as it had attracted more customers and business despite the weather.

The Night Time Industries Association estimates the tournament will have generated nearly £1bn in additional revenue across the UK.

Tom Lilly, who runs the The Antelope in Lighthorne, said football was a "big crowd pleaser."

"The summer's not been as nice as we wanted, so having the sport on has brought people out, even on days they wouldn't," Mr Lilly said.

"Definitely an uplift on Sunday evening games, because people... would come down and have a couple of drinks and share the atmosphere."

Speaking about England's game against Spain on Sunday, he said it was "really good" customer-wise, despite it not being the result they had wanted.

"The fact that they got all the way to the final, each game it grows the momentum, more people come in for each one," he explained.

Tom Lilly said he saw an increase in the number of customers at The Antelope pub

Mr Lilly told BBC CWR he had to add extra tables, chairs, tents and gazebos to accommodate more people at the pub during England's matches.

Other sports such as the Olympics don't necessarily bring in a "big crowd" he said, adding that the next big sporting event at the pub would be the rugby Six Nations in Spring.

Jo Glover from Coventry's Business Improvement District (BID) said the Euros had a "massive positive impact" on Coventry and had attracted "huge numbers of people" into the city centre.

She said some of the city's venues had up to "six times as much revenue" compared to usual.

"We've had businesses especially this last week bringing in extra tables and chairs, they've hired TVs," she said. "It's just been absolutely fabulous."

"We need to keep that momentum going all the way through the rest of the summer [and] through the autumn."