By Emma McClarkin OBE

Live coverage of the World Cup and the pub go together as perfectly as strawberries and cream.

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And as England prepare to play Panama on what’s been dubbed Super Saturday, millions of supporters will head to the home of live sport: the local.

There is nothing quite like watching a match, elbow to elbow with fellow fans, groaning in unison at a missed chance and roaring with one voice at a last-minute goal. For the hours before, during and after a game, shared support for the national team and a perfectly poured pint turn strangers into new friends.

Industry experts predict that pubs could serve a bumper 55 million extra pints if the Three Lions go all the way to the final. That would equate to around £275m in takings across the tournament's 39 days.

We estimate London pubs served, on average, an extra 144 pints during the England v Ghana game, totalling around 500,000 pints and worth £2.5m in extra revenue.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) further predicts that if England reaches the World Cup Final, pubs could sell an additional 55 million pints, generating a £275 million revenue boost for the sector. Almost 1.5 million extra pints were expected to be........

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