JD Wetherspoon has confirmed that only five of its 800 pubs across the UK will open for the 1am World Cup clash between England and Mexico on Monday. Two of those five are located in the North East: The Bishop's Mill in Durham and The Cooper Rose in Sunderland.
Match Details and Context
England secured a narrow 2-1 victory over DR Congo on Wednesday, with Harry Kane scoring an equaliser in the 75th minute and a winner in the 86th. The win sets up a challenging encounter with host nation Mexico at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City.
Government Announcement on Pub Hours
On Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that all pubs will be allowed to stay open until 5am for the match. Four fan zones in Newcastle have also confirmed they will open. Starmer said: "Football might be coming home, but we're making sure fans don't have to. Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together."
List of Open Wetherspoons
The five Wetherspoon branches opening for the match are:
- The Bishop's Mill, Durham
- The Cooper Rose, Sunderland
- The William Rufus, Carlisle
- Penderel’s Oak, Holborn
- The Solomon Cutler, Birmingham
The Cooper Rose is now Sunderland's last remaining Wetherspoons.
