LONDON (AFX) - Pub groups across the country today reported record takings
for England's historic 20-17 win over Australia in the Rugby World Cup Final on
Saturday.
Industry estimates put the number of pints downed by rugby fans at 37 mln
when 10,000 pubs opened early across the UK for the match being screened live
from Sydney.
The themed Aussie-chain 'Walkabout', owned by Regent Inns PLC, proved one of
the most popular venues, especially in London where at 8.00 am on Saturday
morning there was a 200-yard queue outside the 'Walkabout' on Temple, along the
Embankment as fans queued to get in to watch the match.
The capacity of the Temple 'Walkabout' is 920 and Regent had to turn away
about 500 fans.
Regent said today it recorded its "biggest day ever" on Saturday in terms of
sales. Average sales across all of its 47 'Walkabout' venues on the day were
23,680 stg and all were full to capacity.
Mitchells & Butlers PLC, which operates 2,100 pubs across the country, also
reported packed venues. "It was a stormer of a session," a spokesman told AFX
News.
A number of pub companies are still collating their figures, but the
anecdotal evidence points to a bumper one-day windfall for publicans and
landlords. The trade was also given an extra boost as the game went into extra
time pushing drinkers into the lunch-time session and beyond.
Wandsworth-based brewer and pubs group Young & Co's Brewery PLC reported a
double-digit increase in like-for-like sales on Saturday, while down the road at
Chiswick, local brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC said bar takings were up by 50
pct.
"It was a bumper day and we're very happy for the whole English rugby squad
and the fans who supported our 'London Pride' advertising campaign and drank
gallons of the stuff," a Fuller's spokeswoman told AFX News.
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