The government has launched a consultation on extending pub licensing hours in England and Wales during next year’s World Cup, with the proposals allowing pubs to stay open until 1am if home nations teams reach the quarter finals or further.

Britons largely support the idea, with 65% in favour and just 20% saying they would oppose longer opening hours.

Men are more likely to back extended opening hours, with 72% in favour, compared to 60% of women.

Late on Wednesday evening, a 3.3 magnitude earthquake struck North West England, with homes in parts of Lancashire and the Lake District rattled. While far from a major disaster, it is at the stronger end of the roughly 300 earthquakes that hit the UK each year.

31% of Britons say they have experienced an earthquake at some point.

This is most likely to be true of those in the Midlands (48%), Wales (39%) and the North (37%), which are indeed the areas where earthquakes that strike the UK are most likely to hit. Only 22-23% of those in London, the South and Scotland say they have experienced an earthquake.

December is well underway, with a lack of Christmas decorations now more notable than their presence, with the big day itself now less than three weeks away. But has the tipping point of festive spirit been reached yet?

Not quite: 42% of Britons say they are feeling at least fairly Christmassy, which is up six points since Monday, but most Britons (56%) are still yet to be filled with festive cheer and only 7% say they feel very Christmassy.

Younger Britons are more likely to say they feel Christmassy, with 60% now saying so, compared to 47% of 25-49 year olds and 33% of over-50 age groups, though the increase in Christmassy-ness since Monday is roughly even across the age groups (between five and seven points).

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