Birmingham pub doubling beer orders for England games this World Cup
The Button Factory says they've doubled the size of their orders ahead of home games to meet demand
A Birmingham pub says it's experiencing a significant boost in business during the World Cup this year.
The Button Factory, in the Jewellery Quarter, has been screening all live matches during the tournament in the venue's yard space, dubbed the 'fan zone'.
The general manager, Ellis Yeomans, revealed that they have been fully booked for recent home games. He said that despite the challenges the hospitality sector has been facing in recent years, events like the World Cup have a positive impact on sales.
However, Yeomans expressed concern about the matches that will be playing in the early hours of the morning, saying: "I'm a little bit apprehensive with the timings of the games. Who knows? We might struggle when they come on at 1am, 2am."
The manager has also noticed the spending habits of customers during the tournament, with people typically going out for home games only, leading to uneven attendance throughout the week.
He said: "Because of the current financial climate, and people not having as much cash, I do find that sometimes they will save going out until those England games. So, the other days might not be as busy. It's not as equally spread as it was a few years ago."
The Button Factory's outdoor facilities are also proving beneficial in the recent heatwave, as they are forced to increase beer orders to meet demand.
Yeomans noted: "Obviously it's a lot hotter than normal, but we've got umbrellas, shaded spaces, air conditioning inside. So, honestly, I think the hot weather has helped rather than hindered.
"Some of our top selling beers have doubled in the size of ordering for the week, especially this week with the two games. I think we've tripled our normal ordering. And obviously, we're a summer venue. So, with the lovely weather we're having, we are benefiting from it on those days. It's a lot busier."
As the World Cup progresses, optimism remains high at the Button Factory.