Euro 2024: south Essex pubs prepare for England final

Landlords are gearing up to help cheer on England as they face Spain and Steve Haslam, owner of the Bread and Cheese in Benfleet, has revealed tickets for the pub’s big screen sold out in minutes.

Busy - Bread and Cheese celebrating Harry Kane's penalty (Image: Steve Haslam) He said: “Every game has been a sell-out so far from the group stages, I think that is testimony to how well we did it a few years ago, it is a safe and well-run event and unfortunately we could sell it four or five times over. For the outside screens, we sold out in 12 minutes."

“The atmosphere at all the pubs has been tremendous it has been electric and everyone has been so respectful, and they have really enjoyed it," he added.

“The country’s been through a rough few years and it is good to see it all coming together and being proud of what England are achieving.”

Excited - Imogen Spires and bartender Madison Ringshaw (Image: Newsquest)

Boom Battle Bar in Southend’s Victoria Shopping Centre has seen its intake “quadruple” since Euro 2024 started, with manager Imogen Spires describing the atmosphere as “absolutely insane”.

For the final, the 21-year-old revealed the games bar is going all out. She said: “We’re going to have a lot of flags and whistles for customers to use. It gets very loud in here, customers love the whistles.

“We also have confetti cannons for every time a goal is scored. We’re going to be showing it on our projector screen and also we have quite a few TVs to show it on. Our karaoke booths will become private booths where people can watch the football.

“Business has been booming during the football. It’s been a lot busier. Days where we don’t have football have been quiet. We usually only do like £500 a day but that’s quadrupled since the football has been on.”

Hope Hotel - Alan Cormack and Michelle Peterson (Image: Newsquest)

Hope Hotel on Southend seafront has also been packed with customers new and old. Forty-one-year-old Alan Cormack said: “Sunday is going to be very busy, we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone for the final. It’s first come, first served.”

The Castlemayne pub in Basildon hasn’t seen an empty seat since the Euros kicked off.

Team - the Castlemayne pub is celebrating in style (Image: Kelly Billett)

Landlady Kelly Billett said: “We’ve had no empty seats. The 5pm kick-off was the best really as no one had work on Sunday but last night everyone came off work early and we were really full.

“Wednesday night was superb, everyone was under the impression this was as far as we were going to go and if we didn’t get through, we would have to go back to work upset but we when we scored that last goal, the whole pub erupted, it was crazy, there was music and dancing on the tables.”