Bars go bananas for World Cup

All eyes will be on Japan and South Korea for antics on the pitch when the World Cup kicks off tomorrow, but London's pubs are also planning some bizarre off-the-field action to pull in punters for breakfast time kick-offs.

Foreign language commentaries, special worldwide menus and competitions to win anything from free flights to pints of beer are on offer at pubs and bars preparing for the tournament's first match.

But probably the strangest ritual will be the pass the banana competition at the Extra Time sports bar at the Barbican. Owner Ceri Adams said: "We've got a big inflatable banana and every time the ball goes out of play for a goal kick, throw-in or corner, you pass it to the person next to you. If a goal is scored while you're holding the banana you win a prize, like a bucket of beer or an England shirt."

Elsewhere, Mark Ogilvie, manager of the Wellington pub at Waterloo, is encouraging fans to toast the tournament's bad boys with cheap drinks every time there is a sending off. "We've got a red light above the bar, which gets switched on every time there is a red card and triggers a drinks' discount for the next five minutes, with 70p off a pint and £1 off spirits," he said.

Pundits are expecting uptight referees to break the France '98 record of 22 dismissals, but canny punters may wish to know that France and Cameroon, with three sending offs each at the last World Cup, could be the best bet to see red.

Fans looking for a truly international experience should head for the F3K bar in west Kensington, where games will be screened with commentary in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and German.

A survey of 220 London pubs and bars by website sportspubs.co.uk reveals that 83 per cent of venues have got special licences to open early for England games, starting with Sunday's 10.30am kick off against Sweden. Around 14 per cent will be open for every tournament match.

Rob Millar, marketing director for sportspubs.co.uk said: "We found six per cent are charging entry for the big games, anything between £2 and £50, but most of those are offering free food or drink as part of the entry fee - although at least one bar was charging £10 just to stand for the England against Argentina game."

One in 25 pubs is staging ticket-only events to control numbers for big games, and one in 20 is not serving alcohol for some or all of the early games, either because they have no licence or are unwilling to sell alcohol at breakfast time.

London boroughs have not opposed any applications from pubs hoping to open early for England games, but Scotland Yard's clubs and vice unit does not support wholesale opening for every game.

Pubs have only been given permission to open where they are managed by an experienced licensee and have no track record of public-order problems. And premises looking to open early for games which do not involve England or Ireland have to prove they are either dedicated sports bars or have links with one of the teams involved. "If a pub wants to open early for a Spanish match, they would have to show the majority of their customers are Spanish," a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.

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WORLD CUP - news and analysis