A NUMBER of Co-op stores across Dorset are set to close early to allow staff to travel home and watch England play Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

Stores under the Southern Co-op group will shut at 7.45pm ahead of the match’s 8pm kick-off time tomorrow (Sunday, July 11). 

This includes stores in Weymouth, Portland, Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton, Bournemouth and Poole.

It comes as a number of businesses open on Sunday are closing early to ensure their workers can watch the final.

A statement from Southern Co-op reads: “It’s coming home…so we’re going home at 7.45pm on Sunday. Our colleagues deserve some time off to watch the final so we’re closing all of our stores early.

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Southern Co-op COO for retail Simon Eastwood, said: “The excitement has been building over the last few weeks in our stores and across the nation.

“So many of us are going to be glued to our screens on Sunday so it was only right for us to close our doors a few hours early and let our colleagues join in if they want to.

“Our colleagues continue to do us proud every day so this is another way of saying thank you.”