Pubs get green light to stay open two hours longer to allow drinkers to celebrate 75th anniversary of VE Day in style
- Priti Patel will lay an order before Parliament to extend licensing hours on VE Day
- Ministers had already announced the early bank holiday will be moved a week
- The biggest event will be VE Day 75 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, supported by the Daily Mail
Britain can look forward to the liveliest VE Day since 1945 with confirmation that pubs, clubs and cinemas can stay open until 1am to mark 75 years since the Second World War ended in Europe.
Ministers had already announced that the traditional early May bank holiday will be moved from Monday May 4 to Friday May 8 for the landmark anniversary.
And Home Secretary Priti Patel will lay an order before Parliament formally extending licensing hours on the day.
And Home Secretary Priti Patel, pictured yesterday in Parliament, will lay an order before the Commons formally extending licensing hours on VE day
A file photo shows a picture of a pub in Hammersmith. All premises that are licensed to trade until 11pm will get a top-up of an extra two hours to take them into the morning of May 9, the Home Office said
The biggest event will be VE Day 75 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, supported by the Daily Mail
All premises that are licensed to trade until 11pm will get a top-up of an extra two hours to take them into the morning of May 9, the Home Office said.
Miss Patel said: ‘Pubs are at the heart of our communities and this is a great opportunity to raise a glass to mark this historic occasion.’
The biggest event will be VE Day 75 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, supported by the Daily Mail.
Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Military Wives Choirs, celebrities VIPs and, above all, veterans, the event has sold out.
However, it will be screened live in more than 400 cinemas nationwide.