Poposals to allow pubs to stay open for longer to mark the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been approved by parliament. Licensed premises that are permitted to sell alcohol up to or beyond 11pm will be permitted to extend their trading hours on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th May until 1am the following morning.
The relaxation of licensing regulations will only apply to on-trade establishments, rather than off-licences.
The date of the wedding also coincides with the FA Cup Final at Wembley between Chelsea and Manchester United.
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, has welcomed the news, as it saves most pubs the cost of a Temporary Event Notice and “allows us all to celebrate”.
She described the Royal Wedding is a “great national celebration”, adding that the “best place” to mark the occasion is in a pub.