Euro 2020 clean up will cost ‘millions’ as beer bottles and flags fill the streets
Research by waste collection experts, BusinessWaste.co.uk, has shown that the clean-up bill for Euro 2020 final celebrations will end up costing millions.
It has been estimated that the clean up after the Euro 2020 final could cost “millions” as beer bottles, flags and more are seen strewn on the streets.
It was a triumphant run to the final by a team that captured the hearts of the nation and brought people together after a tough 15 months, but millions right across the UK have woken up this morning to the reality that Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad couldn’t quite clinch the win to bring home England’s first international victory since 1966.
The weight of a crushing defeat isn’t the only thing we’ve woken up to though.
With shocking scenes of litter piling up on the streets of central London and other major UK cities having emerged on social media this morning, research by waste collection experts, BusinessWaste.co.uk, has shown that the clean-up bill for Euro 2020 final celebrations will end up costing millions of pounds.
As well as the countless images and videos found on social media and in media outlets, a short video by TikTok user H0rridhenryz has gone viral this morning, showing the sheer scale of the litter left behind on the streets of the capital.
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“This is disgusting,” the video explained.
It was predicted prior to kick-off that local councils would struggle with the excess waste generated by fans, particularly by groups of people using public spaces to celebrate without being mindful of the costs of cleaning up afterwards.
“It’s understandable that people wanted to have a few drinks,” said Mark Hall, Communications Director at BusinessWaste.co.uk, “but the cost of cleaning these areas can really stretch waste management budgets.
“It has a real knock-on effect for local authorities.”
Bars and pubs are too struggling with the excess waste generated by football fans, with some venues having reported as much as four times the amount of their usual weekly waste.
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According to BusinessWaste.co.uk, last night alone, England will of discarded:
150,000 plastic pint glasses
200,000 kebab and takeaway trays
100,000 pizza boxes
150,000 England flags
One million glass bottles
With the game going to extra time and penalties, this also meant that an extra £10,000 would have been added to each local council’s street cleaning bill – as anxious fans grabbed a few more drinks and a takeaway to settle their nerves.
Mark Hall continue: “As a nation, we were all looking forward to watching England play in the final – however, it won’t just be fans waking up with a hangover today.
“Companies, waste collection teams and local councils will also have a costly environmental hangover to deal with.”
Featured Image – Twitter
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North West water bills to see the biggest average increase of anywhere in the country in 2026
Emily Sergeant
Water bills in the North West are set to see the biggest increase in 2026 on average.
It has been announced that household water bills in England and Wales will rise by an average of 5.4% overall – which works out to around £33 a year, or approximately £2.70 per month – from April, which is said to be two percentage points above December’s official inflation figure… but when you look closer at the North West, that percentage rises from 5.4% to 9%.
The average United Utilities water bill is set to sit at £660 annually in 2026-27, with that being an increase of £57 from the previous year – the largest increase of anywhere else in the country.
Water UK says the nationwide rise in bills reflects the ‘significant investment’ being put towards upgrading water infrastructure.
More than two million households currently receive help with their water bills. An extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27. Find out more: https://t.co/DSDpAmawX8pic.twitter.com/N2LFpjxEQE
Water companies are said to be currently in the process of delivering a £104 billion investment programme to secure the nation’s water supplies, support economic growth, and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
The money raised by water bills can only be used to fund infrastructure that is independently determined to be ‘new, necessary, and value for money’.
The regulator says United Utilities will begin a £3 billion upgrade in 2026 of the 110 km Haweswater Aqueduct, which carries 570 million litres of water every day to 2.5 million people in Cumbria, Lancashire, and Greater Manchester (or nearly 5% of England’s population), hence water bills increasing at a higher rate to other areas.
North West water bills are set to see the biggest average increase in 2026 / Credit: Raibeart MacAoidh (via Geograph)
“We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” explained David Henderson, who is the Chief Executive at Water UK.
“While we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
“That is why we will help around 2.5 million households – more than ever before – with average discounts of around 40% off their water bill.”
More than two million households currently receive help with their bills through social tariffs, the WaterSure scheme, and other affordability measures, and an extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27, taking the total number to around 2.5 million.
Those who are struggling should contact their water company to see what help is available, as support can often be tailored to individual circumstances.
Featured Image – Sora Shimazaki (via Pexels)
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Deansgate bar Simmons closes just over a year after opening
Danny Jones
London-born bar brand Simmons has closed their Manchester site just over a year after opening their first Northern location.
They’ve lasted roughly 15 months on one of our busiest nightlife strips.
Opening on Deansgate back in October 2024, Simmons Manchester wasn’t just their first foray here up in this half of the country but their only other venue outside of the capital.
An otherwise well-established and popular chain down south, they have a total of 15 different bars in central London, but things clearly haven’t quite taken off as planned here in Manchester.
Placing a poster in the unit’s shopfront besides the likes of Be At One, Yours, The Moon Under The Water Spoons and the Deansgate branch of Slug and Lettuce, as you can see, the fellow franchise founded over a decade ago said: “After much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye”, they add, “We’re incredibly proud of what the team built here and so grateful to them, as well as everyone who joined us over the past year.
“We’ve had some unforgettable nights. We love Manchester, and we hope to be back under the right conditions.”
They go on to thank everyone for being “part of the journey”, but for now, it looks like the room has closed effective immediately.
Simmons started back in 2012 when founder Nick Campbell opened the first bar below his flat in Kings Cross, and their presence has grown hugely since then. The closing sign was spotted and shared on social media earlier this week.
Offering everything from stylish cocktails to New York-style pizza, live music and even private karaoke booths, the place had plenty going on.
With rising business rates, energy bills and more dovetailing with the continuing cost of living crisis that is still hampering both hospitality and the nightime economy, they are just one of many to unfortunately close their doors of late.
For instance, it was only earlier this month that we saw multiple well-known names shut up shop here in the city centre or elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including another long-standing late-night favourite, Revolution.
It’s a shame for any business to close, and we certainly hope they’ll return someday with a model that can be sustained in the current climate.
The Manc -
12th July 2021 
