PUBS in Burnley will be opening early in a bid to benefit on derby day fever.

Licensees in Blackburn have been advised to stay shut until 12.30pm on Sunday, October 18, as the Clarets head to Ewood for a lunchtmie kick-off.

However, there is no such guidance from police in Burnley and Judith Caine, manager of The Lounge on Higgin Street, said she will be opening at 8am to serve breakfast.

She said: “We successfully applied for an events licence from the police and the council to open four hours earlier than usual.

“I’ll be serving breakfast and I’ve spoken to the authorities about it who are quite happy with that.

“With the game being on Sky as well, we are treating it like a Burnley home game.

“All the coaches will be arriving at 8.30am, fans going to the game have been advised to be at the ground for 9.15am, but the coaches aren’t leaving until 10.15am.

“So we’re hoping to get some extra custom in early in the morning.

The two JD Wetherspoon premises in Burnley, the Brun Lea on Manchester Road and the Boot Inn on St James’ Street told the Telegraph they were planning to open at 9am.

Kerry Newton, manager of the Boot Inn said: “The police have not yet decided whether we will have to close.

“As it stands we’ll be opening at 9am - normal time. But with being such a big company it’s in our best interests to go with police advice.”

Keith Thompson, landlord of the Lord Nelson, Manchester Road, Nelson, said he’ll be opening at noon and those opening early were ‘asking for trouble’.

Helen Mullins, licensee of the Princess Royal on Yorkshire Street said she was told by police her premises licence conditions meant she could not open until noon on a Sunday.