As England advance to the Quarter Finals for the first time since 2006, football fever has gripped the nation. With 24 million watching England v Colombia, there's a great opportunity to cash in!

In the knockout stages, every England victory leads to another fixture - and another chance to pack out your front of house. So, with England going further than they have in 12 years, what can you do now to maximise on this? 

The deeper into the tournament, the more eyeballs the game attracts. England's viewing figures so far show the impact of a bigger, high-pressure game has on interest levels.

• England v Tunisia (opening game): 18 million
• England v Panama: 14 million
• England v Belgium: 18.6 million
• England v Colombia (first knockout game): 24 million

A quarter final against Sweden can expect similar numbers to Colombia, if not greater.

It's worth noting - these figures dwarf the Royal Wedding viewership earlier in the summer, where 8.7 million tuned in.

(Remember to ensure you have the correct TV license to show the games. Contact TV Licensing for advice if necessary.)

When is England v Sweden?

Kick-off is this Saturday, July 7th at 3pm

Should I offer tables for reservation?

If you aren't already reserving tables, you probably should be! UK tabloids have reported that pubs are charging as much as £50 for a reserved Table. 

Demand is there, and a charge like that encourages people to buddy up and bring extra friends along to chip in. More people = more profit for you. You can justify the fee by offering table service for the night, and perhaps a free "shot" on arrival. 

It will depend on your customer demographic, because you don't want to risk alienating your customers if you're in an area with lower disposable income. Perhaps a £25 fee and a free pitcher of lager is better for these areas.

An additional benefit of advanced booking is you secure business early. 

With additional staff needed, your costs will go up for these bigger events. Raising extra revenue will help cover these costs and allow you to gauge interest levels and how many staff you'll need.

Check out our blog on How To Get Your Business Ready For The Football for more top tips on this summer's action!

Price increases

Some pubs have been found to have increased prices of drinks during the games by 50p. 

Whether this is right for your business is for you to decide - but with the investment that goes into showing sport and giving people a great environment to watch the games, you're well within your rights to do so.

You could promote on social media an offer where customers get 50p off a drink every time England score. That'll ensure the bar is busy all game! (Hopefully.) Or, you could do a happy hour deal after the game where 20p per goal is knocked off the price. That will keep customers around after the game and be a great promotional tool for your business online.

Cocktails

In case you have any Swedes in your venue, or some daring Brits, why not offer Swedish Polar Bear? 


(No, not that one!)

With 2 ounces of vodka,  an ounce of Curacao and a dash of lemonade, you have a drink that's easy to make with a high margin.
Just pour the vodka and Blue Curacao into a tumbler or hi ball of ice, stir well and finish with lemonade. 

Simple!

Stay safe

Remember to keep your customers safe with polystyrene glasses when things get busy. 

With next day delivery available and knockout prices in our Hot Offers section, you're just in time if you need to re-stock!