Major British pub chain slaps World Cup fans with charges for watching England play

Football fans hoping to watch England and Scotland at Greene King pubs during this summer’s World Cup will now have to pay a £5 deposit per person to secure a table.The pub operator, which runs around 2,600 venues across the UK, has extended a booking policy normally used only on Christmas Day to selected home‑nation fixtures during the tournament.Under the rules, customers booking tables to watch England matches in English pubs and Scotland games in Scottish venues must pay a £5 deposit for each member of their party. The payment must be made within 24 hours of reserving, or the booking may be cancelled. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Deposits can be redeemed against food and drink purchased in the pub, though not via the Greene King app.The company has also introduced conditions on cancellations and late arrivals.Punters who cancel less than 72 hours before their booking will not receive a refund, and customers arriving more than 15 minutes late will lose both their deposit and potentially their table.Even those cancelling within the permitted window must contact the pub directly to arrange a refund.Despite the new requirement, demand appears strong. Hospitality technology provider Zonal reported a 293 per cent increase in reservations for England’s opening match against Croatia compared with the same date last year.Greene King said it received 5,600 bookings across its managed pubs for the fixture, which ended in a 4–2 win for England in Dallas, surpassing levels recorded for the team’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia.Across all international fixtures this summer, the company has taken bookings for 65,000 covers.Demand has also been high in Scotland, with almost 20 pubs reaching full capacity for Scotland’s opening game against Haiti despite the 2am kick‑off.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSTravel chaos as 10 holiday firms collapse as customers chase refunds and hundreds left without jobsMajor appliance firm ordered to pay 40,000 shoppers compensation - are you eligible?Store closure alert: Beloved fashion chain to shut 11 more sites as high street exit gathers pace“We are proud to show live sport in our pubs and create a great atmosphere for fans On some occasions, a deposit is required.This is not an additional charge and is 100 per cent redeemable against food or drinks.”The wider hospitality sector is expecting a significant boost from the tournament.UKHospitality forecasts a 40 per cent increase in sales during the group‑stage matches, with industry estimates suggesting an extra five million pints could be sold during England’s opening fixture alone. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter