Local football fans expected to spend £3.5m on beer for Euro 2016

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Football fans watching Euro 2016 are expected to spend millions of pounds on beer, betting and big screen TV’s in Nottinghamshire.

According to the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, £33.3 million is predicted to be spent in the county as fans prepare for the big football tournament of the summer.

Across the East Midlands, £3.5 million worth of beer will be drunk by fans throughout the tournament, its assessment claims.

And those who like to place a bet on their team will spend around £29 million while trying their luck gambling online and at the bookies.

Overall a total of £147 million is expected to be spent across the East Midlands region, boosting the economy similar to a level seen during the 2014 World Cup.

But the economy is expected to take a hit on June 16 as England play Wales at 2pm, and thousands of employees could ‘throw a sickie’ in order to see the match; resulting in an £11.8 million loss in productivity.

Employers should let staff watch the game at work

Lucy Robinson, the organisation’s director of resources, warned employers to be flexible to ensure they aren’t faced with an absent workforce.

She said: “Businesses may need to apply a bit of common sense if they have staff who want to watch the big games, to avoid a spike in unauthorised absence and the problems that come with it.”

Employers should allow staff to watch the games at work, and make up lost working time at at a later date to prevent any major absence in the workplace.

She added: “It’s important to be fair and consistent if you allow staff flexibility during Euro 2016. For example, you may have staff of different nationalities who might want to watch their own countries in the same way that England fans will.”

The chamber warned employees may also be wanting time off to watch Wimbledon or the Rio 2016 Olympics, as well as going to music festivals and events as the summer social calendar approaches.

Ms Robinson added: “We know that many people in the East Midlands are fanatical about football and this is set to translate into an economic boost for the region as fans shell out on the latest gadgets, merchandise and food and drink in preparation for and during the tournament.”

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