Pubs to stay open an extra two hours on King Charles III coronation weekend

Pubs, bars, and clubs will stay open until the early hours of the morning over the weekend of King Charles III's coronation to allow the public to celebrate the momentous occasion. This decision was backed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows the Home Secretary to lay the order before Parliament on Monday to give pubs permission to extend operating hours during occasions of exceptional significance. In this case, the special event is of course the coronation of His Majesty which will take place in London's Westminster Abbey on May 6.

Braverman said the monarch's coronation "will be a momentous occasion deserving of special celebration" as such she is "extending the licensing hours over this historic Coronation weekend." This means venues across England and Wales will serve customers for an extra two hours between Friday, May 5, and Sunday, May 7. The extension allows pubgoers "to enjoy an extra pint or two" until 1:00 A.M. from the usual closing time of 11:00 P.M.

"Up and down the country, people can enjoy an extra pint or two in the evening while families and friends can come together to wish His Majesty The King a long and happy reign," Braverman said according to the BBC.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive officer of the British Beer and Pub Association, noted that the move was also done during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. She called the extension of the licensing hours during King Charles III's coronation weekend "a timely boost for the pub industry" amid "an acutely challenging period."

She remarked, "I am sure our pubs will look to mark this joyous occasion by hosting special events and parties as part of national celebrations. The announcement of extended opening hours will help us all to mark this important event."

McClarkin added of King Charles III's coronation, "'It is sure to be a time for community and celebration, and the great British pub is always right at the heart of both, so I would encourage everyone to head down to their local and raise a toast to His Majesty during the Coronation weekend."

Outside of the extension, the public is also encouraged to share how they will celebrate the momentous event on a digital map set up by the British government. This way, they can keep everyone up to date on events they will be hosting or get others involved with other local events happening, which include street parties, volunteering, and lunches.

The Home Secretary's decision to extend operation hours for pubs, clubs and bars comes after the BBC announced a special one-off TV license dispensation in honour of King Charles III's coronation. This means venues and events can stream the ceremony and the coronation concert for free for the public to watch. The broadcaster also scrapped the license fee during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

King Charles III will be crowned alongside his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The ceremony will reportedly be attended by 2,000 guests while the coronation concert will be held at Windsor Castle with a reported 10,000 tickets to be given to the public for free via a national ballot.

The BBC said in a statement, "Attended by a public audience including volunteers from The King and The Queen Consort's many charity affiliations, the concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by fantastic entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance and the arts."

BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said King Charles III's coronation concert "will bring the nation together to mark this momentous occasion." Elton John, Ed Sheeran, and Harry Styles were reportedly invited to perform but they have respectfully declined due to conflicts in their schedules.