Pub bookings for England’s World Cup match against Croatia surge by roughly 300% as fans plan early arrivals, according to a report cited by multiple outlets. London Evening Standard and The Independent both reference data from technology provider Zonal, which tracks pub reservations and arrivals. The figures indicate that bookings for pub visits up to two hours before the kick-off of England’s opener—on Wednesday—rise by about 293% or “around 300%.” Both reports link the increase to expectations of heightened local interest surrounding the start of England’s World Cup campaign, which begins with the Croatia match. The coverage focuses on consumer behaviour ahead of the game, highlighting that more people are reserving or planning to arrive at pubs earlier than usual for the England fixture. No additional details are provided in the supplied excerpts about broader attendance across other cities or whether the increase applies to specific pub chains beyond the overall bookings dataset used by Zonal.