Pub licensing hours in England and Wales will be extended to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday 8 May 2025.

In a welcome move for employers in the hospitality sector, pubs and bars that usually close at 11pm will be able to stay open for an extra two hours until 1am.

The chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, Michael Kill said: "At such a challenging time for the hospitality sector, allowing businesses to extend their trading hours during these celebrations offers a much-needed boost while paying tribute to our shared history."

The Government has previously confirmed that there will not be an additional bank holiday to mark the anniversary of VE Day this year instead the extended hours are an opportunity to join in celebrations and to celebrate the men and women who served their country, both overseas and at home.

Employers who want to take advantage of these longer trading hours will need to consider their staffing arrangements and ensure that they continue to comply with the requirements around working time.  Speaking with staff about this now and gaining their input about who is available and wants to work longer will make it easier when pulling together rotas for the night.  Also anticipating wider elements around making sure you have security in case anything gets out of hand, making sure your stock is well managed, letting customers know what your intentions are and above all, making sure your staff are appropriately trained for the occasion.

For us, it's about being a good employer first; compliance will naturally follow, but we use employment law requirements as a tool to facilitate this, so if you want to check out how compliant you are with employment law requirements - download our free employment law checklist