The Big Events
As Britain’s pub culture has changed over the years, one of the few things guaranteed to bring people of all ages together in their local is a large, milestone sporting event. Many pubs plan their entire year around the sporting calendar and try to create as much of a buzz about the upcoming events as possible.
Life in the UK may have changed a lot since the days when we all congregated in the pub every afternoon after work, but we all know nothing beats that feeling of seeing your pub packed to the rafters with three generations of pub-goers locked in a nail biting silence followed by a roof-raising “YES!!!” heard all the way down the street when your team scores a goal, wins a medal or brings home a trophy. Sharing that moment in a pub is one of the things that makes us feel 100% British, no matter where we were born geographically. Making it easy for your customers to spend the whole day in your establishment is a great way to create a true home from home, and a place people will remember having been the day they saw England win the World Cup. Okay, so that might be a little bit ambitious, but there are still plenty of things you can do to turn sporting events into memorable occasions!
One way of guaranteeing your customers will stick around is by getting a barbecue going and serving burgers all day. The Slimfold Grill from Cinders Barbecue can cook in excess of 1000 burgers a day and is safe, strong and sturdy enough to keep you going long into the night after the tension of the match is over.
Here are some of the key events taking place this spring and summer to help you plan your busiest times in 2016.
April:
- 5-6: Football - Champions League quarter-finals (first leg)
- 7: Football - Europa League quarter-finals (first leg)
- 9: Horse Racing - Grand National, Aintree
- 9: Boxing - IBF World Heavyweight Title, Anthony Joshua v Charles Martin, London
- 12-13: Football - Champions League quarter-finals (second leg)
- 14: Football - Europa League quarter-finals (second leg)
- 16-17: Football - Scottish Cup semi-finals, Hampden Park
- 16-May 2: Snooker - World Championship
- 23-24: Football - FA Cup semi-finals, Wembley
- 24: Athletics - London Marathon
- 26-27: Football - Champions League semi-finals (first leg)
- 28: Football - Europa League semi-finals (first leg)
May
- 29-1 May: Cycling - Tour de Yorkshire
- 3-4: Football - Champions League semi-finals (second leg)
- 7: Boxing - Amir Khan v Saul Alvarez (WBC world middleweight title fight), Las Vegas, USA
- 15: Football - Premier League season ends
- 18: Football - Europa League final, Basel, Switzerland
- 21: Football - FA Cup final, Wembley
- 28: Football - Champions League final, Milan
- 28-30: Football League play-off finals, Wembley
June:
- 4: Horse Racing - Derby Day, Epsom
- 10 (until 10 July): Football - Euro 2016, France
- 14-18: Horse Racing - Royal Ascot
- 24-26: Athletics, British Athletics Championships & Olympic Trials, Birmingham
July
- 2-24: Cycling - Tour de France
- 10: Football - Euro 2016 final, Paris
- 22-24: Athletics - London Anniversary Games, Olympic Stadium
August
- 5-21: Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- (Key dates: 6-13 swimming and rowing, 6-16 track and road cycling, 11-20 golf, 12-21 athletics)
- 13: Football - Premier League season starts
- 27: Rugby League - Challenge Cup final, Wembley
September
- 2: Premiership and Pro12 seasons start
- 4-5: Football - World Cup Qualifying begins
- 4-11: Cycling - Tour of Britain
- 7-18: Paralympic Games - Rio de Janeiro
- 24-25: Darts - The Champions League of Darts, Cardiff