When England play in international tournaments, pubs and bars across the country are always packed with football fans, making drink and food sales skyrocket. EURO 2012 (to be jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July) shouldn’t be any different.

To ensure they get their share of the expected EURO 2012 drink sales boost it is essential that venue owners start planning ahead now, with a consideration towards hiring extra air conditioning to deal with the increased number of patrons being a key inclusion on their ‘must-do’ list.

England fans also enjoy watching other nations compete

It will not only be England matches that will draw a crowd during EURO 2012. As the tournament progresses and excitement builds towards the final, people will also be heading in droves to their local watering holes to watch the likes of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands. In total there will be 31 matches played throughout the tournament, all being shown live on British television.

English fans, as well as visiting or UK-based nationals from all the European nations involved will want to see the top players. Also, the tournament underdog, in the inevitable ‘David versus Goliath’ matches that every international football tournament somehow manages to throw up, is sure to have punters flocking to the pubs and bars.

Tournaments are great for the beer industry and the British economy

Interest in EURO 2012 will not only be good for the pub, beer and corporate entertainment industries, but for the British economy as a whole. According to research conducted by Kelkoo in 2010, as England progressed through the initial group stages of the World Cup Finals in South Africa, every goal the team scored thereafter would have been worth £126 million to the UK retail industry. If England progress from the group phase of the EURO 2012, over £100 million is expected to be spent in pubs, clubs and cafes.

But if previous tournaments are anything to go by, the beer industry can look forward to bumper profits next June. UK-based breweries will already be preparing to ensure they can meet demand, and top brewers overseas will be working hard to brew enough beer to fulfill their increased export quota.

Pubs will fill up earlier as people start taking days off

During previous international football tournaments, as England progressed out of their group into the next knock out stage, excited fans inevitably took days off work. The pubs filled up from around lunchtime, meaning that alcohol sales were already huge before kick-off. This is expected during EURO 2012, assuming England do well.

Rather than see their employees book or take days off, some UK companies will arrange EURO 2012-themed corporate entertainment events on match days when England are involved (this usually includes pre-match catering, watching the match on a giant screen, and then entertainment afterwards). Companies see this as great for staff cohesion and morale, and well-worth the investment in utilising the services of a corporate hospitality event planner.

How venues can ensure a full house for every match

By formulating a contingency plan with a specialist in air conditioning hire (to be fully prepared in the event of a built-in air con system failure), pub and bar owners can enjoy peace of mind, knowing an air con hire expert is primed to respond to an emergency call-out should the ‘unthinkable’ happen. It would also be wise for landlords to have a number of hired portable air con units on site, as immediate back up if needed, or simply to boost the cool air supply from their fixed air con system, for when EURO 2012 really ‘hots up’.