Pubs to open late to profit from royal wedding
The government is proposing to extend opening hours to 1am for the weekend of the royal wedding.
It will undertake a four-week consultation on the plan to extend opening hours on 19 May when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to be married. The FA Cup Final and Scottish Cup final take place on the same day.
There is a precedent behind the plans, after opening hours were extended for Prince William's wedding in 2011 and for the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.
Home secretary, Amber Rudd, said: "The royal wedding will be a time of national celebration, and we want everyone to be able to make the most of such an historic occasion.
"I hope that this relaxation of the licensing hours will allow people to extend their festivities and come together to mark what will be a very special moment for the country."
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) had campaigned for the move, saying it would make a £10m boost to pub businesses.
Chief executive Brigid Simmonds said last month: "A Royal wedding is a great national celebration, and a wonderful opportunity for us all to get together in the pub. I know this would be warmly welcomed by pubgoers and the pub trade. It would put pubs at the heart of the celebrations, something which has been a great success for previous major Royal events."
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said the news was a welcome boost to pubs, restaurants, hotels and bars. "A proposal to extend trading hours is a sensible step by the Government and should provide customers and businesses with a chance to celebrate."
BBPA calls for longer pub hours on royal wedding day >>
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