East Dunbartonshire pubs to stay open later during World Cup

Pubs in East Dunbartonshire will be able to stay open later for matches during this summer's World Cup.

East Dunbartonshire Licensing Board agreed establishments can open until 30 minutes after the final whistle for all matches at the tournament, which is taking place across north and central America.

The time difference means Scotland matches will kick off late at night or in the early hours of the morning, which prompted fears pubs could miss out on extra customers.

A number of other matches during the tournament kick off at 03:00 and 05:00, meaning some pubs and bars can therefore now remain open until after 07:00.

Scotland's first match of the competition is against Haiti on 14 June with a kick-off time of 02:00, meaning pubs can remain open until about 04:15 that day.

They then play Morocco on 19 June with kick off at 23:00 and follow that up against Brazil on 24 June, again at 23:00.

A total of 48 teams from around the globe will compete in 104 fixtures at the tournament, with the opening match taking place on Thursday 11 June and the final concluding matters on 19 July.

Councillor Stewart MacDonald, the chair of East Dunbartonshire Licensing Board, said: "I'm pleased we have been able to offer licensed premises the chance to open – not just for Scotland's games, but for all World Cup matches – with a number of conditions in place to ensure public safety and minimise any potential disruption.

"It will provide a potential boost for local businesses and also give residents the chance to join together to enjoy a festival of football."

There is no obligation on premises to take advantage of the extended hours.

Those that do will be required to notify the licensing board in advance to confirm the matches they intend to screen. This information will be shared with Police Scotland.

Premises are also expected to operate a "safe home" initiative to ensure staff have access to transport after their shift.