Euro 2020: Preston pubs ready to welcome football fans

Hundreds of venues across Lancashire will be donning their funday best to support England - and in some cases Scotland and Wales - when the long-overdue tournament kicks off.

But publicans are urging revellers not to get too carried away, with unregulated crowds still banned and Covid restrictions yet to be lifted.

“Customers must stay sat down,” said a spokesman at the Guild pub in Fylde Road, Preston which will be showing all the games on 10 TV screens, three of them outside. “But we’re all trimmed up and ready to go. All we need now is for the good weather to continue.”

Many alehouses have been taking bookings since drinkers were allowed back inside from May 17 with reduced capacity. Some report they are already full for England’s group matches against Croatia, Scotland and the Czech Republic.

Others still have tables available, although licensees are advising customers to book in advance to avoid disappointment. And there are those, like the Northern Way in Friargate, Preston, who have decided not to take bookings at all and are allowing people in on a first-come-first-seated basis.

Out of the city centre the Saddle Inn at Bartle has erected a fan marquee and will be hosting a barbecue on Sunday. Licensee Daniel Hall said: “Judging by the calls we’ve been getting we should have a good turnout.Fingers crossed for the weather and England to do well.”