A petition campaigning for an extra Bank Holiday next Monday should England win Euro 2020 is rapidly racking up signatures.
It may seem like a long shot at the very last minute, but after England triumphantly defeated Denmark 2-1 last night to advance to their first major tournament final since 1966, an ecstatic football fan has taken to the UK Government and Parliament website to set up a petition.
Well over 25,000 people and counting have put their names down so far.
The petition – which has been set up by Lee Jones – was actually started ahead of last night’s semi-final tie, but has understandably started picking up more speed this morning.
“England may be playing a European Championship Final at 8pm on Sunday 11th July,” the petition reads.
“It would be beneficial and sensible to give the country the day off the next day if England win, in the form of an extra Bank Holiday Monday.”
Credit: UEFA Euro 2020 / England
The government is required to respond to all petitions that get more than 10,000 signatures.
And whether you can believe it or not, reports have started emerging this morning to say that it’s actually being considered.
According to POLITICO: “Some in Whitehall want a Bank Holiday on Monday.”
This isn’t the first time a call for an extra Bank Holiday has gained traction either, with the idea also being bandied around during England’s journey to the 2018 World Cup semi-final and then-leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, backing the campaign.
Given how last-minute the change would be this year though, it’s fair to say it presents logistical challenges.
No formal statements have been made by the government regarding the growing petition.
England’s semi-final victory means they will now face Italy in the final at Wembley Stadium this Sunday – with a kick off time at 8pm.
It has already been confirmed earlier this week that pubs showing the Euro 2020 final in England are permitted to remain open until the later time of 11:15pm on Sunday, anticipating the match heads to extra time and penalties.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged the nation to support the Three Lions “enthusiastically, but in a responsible way”.
28 major cities were ranked based on a number of different factors, including the average cost of a pint, venue ratings, and a ‘footy-mad’ score determined by Google Trends – and Manchester unsurprisingly clinched the top spot.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on the Three Lions this weekend?
We’ve picked out 20 of the best spots to watch Euro 2020 in Manchester city centre here.
A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.
And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.
That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.
With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.
Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.
Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…
Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.
Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.
Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.
Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.
Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.
In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?
Subway launches make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ across UK
Emily Sergeant
Subway is finally launching its viral make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ at all its restaurants in the UK.
That’s right – you can now walk into any Greater Manchester Subway and order a jacket potato instead of a sandwich, and you get to choose exactly what goes on top of it.
Britain has always been a nation of ‘jacket fanatics’, with almost half of Brits claiming the spud to be a British cultural icon, but according to new research by Subway, it’s been found that nearly a quarter (23%) of us have argued with family and friends over how to prepare or serve one.
So it’s fair to say that, yes, us Brits do love ourselves a jacket potato, and this is why ‘Spudway’ is launching nationwide.
The UK-wide rollout of Spudway comes after it was trailed in select sites earlier this year, and then proved so popular that the trail was extended to include more locations.
Now, those fluffy jacket potatoes are available everywhere.
You can choose topping options like the simple Cheese & Beans or Tuna Mayo, or you can opt for Subway specialities like Meatball Marinara, and Chicken Tikka, but the beauty of Spudaway is it’s all fully customisable.
This means you can pick, quite simply, from whatever you fancy at the protein and salad counters, and finish it with your choice of Subway’s wide selection of signature sauces.
“The nation’s love of Jacket Potatoes is unparalleled,” commented Cathy Goodwin, who is the Interim Director of Culinary & Innovation Subway EMEA.
Subway has finally launched its make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ all across the UK / Credit: Subway
“The enthusiasm we’ve seen on social media and the strong demand from our guests throughout the trial made it clear that Spudway deserved a permanent place on our menu.
“Made with British potatoes, Irish salted butter, a double portion of cheese, and fully customisable with any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.”
Spudway jacket potatoes are freshly baked in-store daily and can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or a cookie.
Emily Sergeant -
8th July 2021 
