Pubs in England and Wales were allowed to open all day starting in 1994 due to changes in licensing laws.
Key Events in Pub Opening Hours:
📜 Before 1988:
- Pubs had strict opening hours:
- Morning: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Evening: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM (Sunday closures were even stricter).
- These rules were introduced by the Licensing Act of 1872 to control excessive drinking.
📜 1988 Reform:
- Licensing laws changed to allow longer afternoon openings:
- 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Monday-Saturday)
- 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM (Sundays)
📜 1994 – All-Day Opening Introduced:
- The Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 allowed pubs to open all day between 11:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
📜 2005 – 24-Hour Drinking Possible:
- The Licensing Act 2003 came into effect in 2005, allowing some pubs and bars to apply for 24-hour licenses.
- While most pubs didn’t adopt 24-hour opening, it gave more flexibility for later closing times.
Today’s Pub Opening Hours:
- Most pubs now open from late morning until midnight or later, depending on local rules.
- 24-hour licenses exist, but they are rare and mostly granted to nightclubs, hotels, or city-center bars.