Starting this week, Toronto bars have been given the green light to serve booze until 4 a.m. as the city co-hosts the FIFA World Cup with Vancouver and other cities throughout the U.S. and Mexico.
But so far, it would appear many Toronto bars are not sold on a 4 a.m. last call.
“I’ve talked to about 10 different bar owners and no one’s staying open till 4 a.m.,” Wayne Smith, the director of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research, told CP24.com on Friday.
“The challenge is that not only do you have to have the patrons, you have to have the staff willing to do it.”
The tournament officially kicks off in the city on Friday, when Toronto Stadium hosts its first match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at 3 p.m.
To support bars and restaurants during the tournament, the province previously announced that between June 11 and July 19, Ontario bars could serve booze until 4 a.m.
In a post on social media on Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford that the move will help fans cheer on Team Canada “no matter where and when they are playing.”
But Smith said most of the games, including the West Coast games, will be over by 2 a.m.
“Most of them will be done by 12:30 (a.m.). So you don’t really need the 4 a.m. (last call). Most places can close at 1:00 a.m. and probably be perfectly happy,” he said.
CP24 reached out to a number of bars in the downtown core and found that none had any firm plans to stay open late.
A spokesperson for Earls, which has multiple Toronto locations, including a popular spot on King Street West, said extending hours will be a “game-time” decision.
“We are excited to host guests watching and celebrating the summer’s biggest matches at Earls,” the spokesperson said.
“We have the license (sic) to remain open until 4 a.m. and will extend our hours based on our guests. If our locations are busy and guests are enjoying the World Cup festivities, we will remain open.”
Popular sports bar The Pint, and The Rec Room Roundhouse, which are both located steps from the Rogers Centre, confirmed they will not be staying open until 4 a.m. at any point during the tournament.
In the heart of the action in Liberty Village, where Toronto Stadium is located, bars also said they hadn’t firmed up plans to implement a 4 a.m. last call during the World Cup.
“We plan to extend our hours throughout the FIFA matches and anticipate remaining open as late as 4 a.m. when guest demand supports it,” one of the owners of Liberty Soho told CP24.com.
“Operating hours may vary depending on attendance levels, but we’re looking forward to accommodating fans and creating a lively viewing experience throughout the tournament.”
Popular Liberty Village watering hole The Local said staff “are still in talks about opening early and/or staying open late.”
“Most of the staff take public transportation so if you’re going to have them work till 4 a.m., you’ve got to be willing to pay for an Uber or a taxi for them to get home so that’s an additional expense,” Smith said.
“The other thing is then you get more neighborhood complaints, people walking out at 4 a.m., they’ve been partying all night, and all of a sudden they’re walking through neighborhoods.”
Smith said the decision to extend hours is “nice in theory,” adding that it may work to the advantage of a handful of bars.
“But this is one of those things where it probably, in practice, isn’t going to be worth the while for most of the bars,” he said.
