Pub landlord builds £5k grandstand for World Cup

A pub landlord has spent £5,000 on building a 150-seat grandstand in his beer garden to give punters the best view of the action during the World Cup.

Photo credit: Paul Sandford

Paul Sandford, who runs the Railway Tavern in Dereham, Norfolk, has also brought in four big screens, a DJ booth, and a separate marquee serving food and drink for the duration of the tournament, which will be up and running regardless of how long England stay in the competition.

“It is just a big party, the atmosphere is great,” he said, speaking to the BBC. “We used it first time last week and it was really good. When the Portugal match was playing we had a load of Portuguese people coming to support. “It was really good, we have a really big Portuguese community here so it was nice – the stand brought everyone together.”

The grandstand took Sandford two weeks to build and is already proving a hit with the locals.

“We did a similar thing four years ago, we had around 500 people turn up but this year we are expecting it to be much bigger,” he said. “England in the semi-finals? “I think England could surprise us this time. I cannot see any reason why we cannot get to the semi-finals, and then it’s just 90 minutes.”

Should England go the distance, Sandford has said he has permission to extend the grandstand into the grounds of a neighbouring garden.

Sandford is also asking for charity donations from drinkers who use the grandstand.