PUBS will be allowed to stay open and keep serving until 1am next month to mark 80 years since the end of World War Two.
Boozers that normally shut at 11pm have been given license to extend their trading hours as part of the VE Day celebrations on May 8.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer last night said: “The whole country should come together to remember the incredible sacrifices made by the wartime generation and to celebrate the peace and freedom they secured for us all.
“Keeping our pubs open for longer will give people the opportunity to join in celebrations and raise a glass to all of the men and women who served their country, both overseas and at home.”
VE Day festivities start on Bank Holiday Monday, May 5.
The Cenotaph will be decorated in Union Flags, and there will be a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace as well as an RAF flypast over London.
Then on May 8, there will be a service for world leaders and veterans at Westminster Abbey, before a concert later at Horse Guards Parade, which will be on BBC1.
Michael Kill, of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “VE Day is not only a moment of remembrance but also an opportunity for communities to come together.
“Allowing businesses to extend their trading hours during these celebrations offers a much-needed boost while paying tribute to our shared history.”
