• 412,000 pints and 145,000 sprit drinks poured across Stonegate managed and Craft Union pubs*
  • Smirnoff Red the top product sold, outperforming every draught line
  • Yorkshire overtook London as Stonegate’s top-performing region, pouring 126,000 drinks to London’s 124,000
  • 1,250 portions of fries sold to late-night fans

Stonegate Group saw pubs and bars across its estate pour 796,000 drinks as fans stayed up for England’s 2am kick-off against Mexico, 355,000 more than a typical Sunday. Over 24,000 bookings were made for the early hours kick-off, across 717 pubs across Stonegate managed pubs and Craft Union sites that were showing the game.

Spirits were the standout category on the night, up 30,000 on England’s last fixture, with 145,000 drinks sold. Smirnoff Red was the single top-selling product with 59,000 shots sold, outperforming every draught line on tap. On the draught side, 412,000 pints were sunk across Stonegate pubs.

In a first for the tournament, Yorkshire overtook London as Stonegate’s top-performing region, pouring 126,000 drinks to London’s 124,000 and also topping the draught table with 72,000 pints served. Walkabout Newquay was the group’s top individual site, serving 4,600 drinks and 2,300 pints. Meanwhile Stonegate’s Craft Union sites recorded its highest ever sales performance after midnight.

Food sales were equally strong, with 31,000 dishes sold across the estate, including 1,250 portions of fries. Trade peaked well ahead of the 2am kick-off, with midnight to 1am the busiest hour of the night, as fans arrived early to secure a seat and watch England clinch victory in the Azteca.

The atmosphere was captured by the “Roar of the Nation” Louderboard, which tracks crowd noise across the country’s pubs. London’s Minories pub topped the ranking once again, hitting 133 decibels when Jude Bellingham found the net in the 36th and 38th minute, with a roar hitting levels louder than a jet engine during take-off.

David McDowall, CEO of Stonegate Group: “Nights like this show exactly why the pub remains the heart of the nation when it comes to watching football. Our teams pulled out all the stops for a 2am kick-off, and the numbers speak for themselves, from record spirits sales to Yorkshire pipping London to top region for the first time. It’s a brilliant reminder of the role pubs play in bringing people together for the big moments.”

 Stonegate has already seen bookings surge for this Saturdays Quarter Final against Norway, with 32,000 bookings made.

*Excludes over 3,000 leased and tenanted pubs in Stonegate’s Pub Partner estate