THE FIFA World Cup kicks off this week and local businesses in Saddleworth along with Oldham Council are doing their bit to help residents enjoy the spectacle.
Licensing laws have been relaxed for the duration of the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday, June 12, so pubs can stay open late during some England matches.
The Home Office is allowing pubs and bars to open until 1am when England games kick off at 8pm or later – starting with the England vs Italy game on Saturday, June 14 at 11pm BST.
Licensing restrictions in the borough have also been relaxed so licensed taxi drivers can show their support by attaching World Cup flags to their vehicles.
The flag of St George will be proudly hoisted at the Civic Centre on England matchdays.
Visitors to the Oldham Council website will see it sporting a patriotic new banner which can be clicked on to find out about – or share – World Cup related events in the borough.
Jim McMahon, Oldham Council Leader, said: “The World Cup is always a huge event that ends up drawing in even the people who wouldn’t normally watch football.
“It’s a brilliant occasion for communities to come together and we’ve already seen flags and bunting going up that are adding a real splash of colour to the summer.
“I will be proudly cheering England on and it’s only right that people will want to show their support for their teams and join in the fun.
“We’re encouraging anyone organising World Cup events to contact us via our website or social media accounts so we can let local people know what is going on.”
The World Cup often inspires a children to take up the beautiful game – and Oldham Community Leisure and Oldham Athletic Community Trust are running sessions for boys and girls of any ability aged five to 15 years old.
The ‘Striker 9’ scheme is a fun-based programme aimed at encouraging children to develop their football skills and learn leadership and team skills, and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Find out more about the programme by visiting www.ocll.co.uk, calling 0161 207 7000 or emailing striker9@ocll.co.uk
Are you holding a local World Cup-themed event? If so, send the details via an email to presspr@oldham.gov.uk to publicise it on their website and via our social media channels on Facebook and Twitter.
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