TESCO and Co-op stores across the country will be shutting up shop early on Sunday so workers can get home in time to watch England’s epic showdown against Italy as football fever grips the nation.
It comes amid hopes Boris Johnson will rubber-stamp plans for an extra bank holiday – should the Three Lions claim Euro 2020 victory.
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The PM has ruled out springing a surprise Bank Holiday on employers this Monday, but with calls mounting for an extra summer bank holiday if England win so the nation can celebrate, No10 could sign off a day in August.
For now, however, it’s good news for some Tesco and Co-op staff who will be able to enjoy the 8pm clash at Wembley without having to keep one eye on the till as bosses have signed off plans to shut early.
England’s 1,600 Tesco Express stores will close at 7.45pm on Sunday, instead of midnight, while Co-op will shut its 2,034 food stores at the same time, Sky reports.
Co-op’s 24 hour petrol stations will also be out of bounds between 7.45pm and 11pm.
Chris Whitfield, Co-op’s chief operating officer, said: “We appreciate just how much this means to many of our store colleagues and we want them to be able to celebrate at home with their family and friends.”
Lidl stores will be opening an hour later on Monday morning if England clinch the win at Wembley – while Iceland is delaying opening stores, home deliveries and meetings either way.
The chain will also be halting home deliveries after 7pm on Sunday to let drivers get home in time.
It comes as England fans are set to get extra time to recover after Sunday night’s Euro final.
Many firms are allowing staff a lie-in on Monday morning to sleep off the boozy celebrations
Schools are also getting in the action, with many announcing that pupils can come in late on Monday so they can enjoy the late-night match.
In one case, teachers Rossmere Primary School in Hartlepool have told parents they can let their kids have a lie in on Monday morning.
Parents and carers were told the Euros final will be a “learning opportunity”.
Students will be able to show up for class by 10.30am on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, a company boasted that it would give its staff a day off after the Euro 2020 final – before workers were emailed and told they wouldn’t be getting it.
LookFantastic, which sells beauty, skincare, and haircare products, promised to give its employees a day off after England’s game if their social media post reached a certain number of likes.
The company, owned by The Hut Group, said that the “fate of Team Fantastic is in your hands” as the amount of “likes” would determine what time work begins on Monday morning.
And if the post gained 7,000 likes, the firm said that the employees would be given a whole day off after the Euro 2020 final.
The Instagram post read: “IT’S COMING HOME. In honour of that, we’ve decided to give you the power on what time our teams start work on Monday…
“You need to act quick though – we’ll take the count at 5pm!”
But in an internal email seen by The Sun Online, employees were told that the “stunt” was just a “great engagement opportunity.”
Workers were told that the social media target and the promise of a day off after England’s final was “not official comms.”
Despite the post on Instagram reaching over 30,000 likes – surpassing the top target – workers were told that they were “lucky to have been given the 12pm start.”
England roared to success against Denmark on Wednesday with Gareth Southgate’s lads bagging a place in the final with a 2-1 win.
It is the first time in 55 years – since the glorious 1966 World Cup win – England have made it to a major tournament final.
The nail-biting final will be played at Wembley – with thousands of fans expected to flood the capital’s streets ahead of the title-race game.
England are now favourites amid a betting spree at bookies.
The government has already extended pub opening hours to 11.15pm on Sunday in case of extra-time and penalties.
Mr Johnson signed off plans for extra drinking time for Sunday night’s Wembley showdown.
Meanwhile, there are calls for Southgate to be made a Sir if he becomes the first England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey to win a trophy.
