England's Saturday night clash with France approaches, and the country is hungry for goals... but not so much for fine cuisine.

While many pubs have benefited from an influx of drinkers, gastro-pubs and restaurants have reported cancellations ahead of the World Cup semi-final, and owners say the competition is having a marked effect on trade.

At the Scared Crow in West Malling, landlady Tina Beadle said she was considering installing a TV in an effort to draw people back to the gastro-pub, despite the fact it normally trades on a relaxed dining atmosphere.

"It's definitely affected us," she said. "There's a table of 17 that were supposed to be coming in on Wednesday and they said if England win on Saturday they're going to cancel.

"We've got less than half capacity this Saturday, and we would normally be full.

"Always when there's a big match like this it affects us, but it doesn't help with everything else going on at the moment, like the cost-of-living crisis. We've just got less footfall coming through the door.

"I've had people ask saying if we get through to the semi-finals will we put the telly in the pub, which I'm contemplating, but it's not really that kind of pub.

"FIFA don't care at the end of the day, they've not given that a thought, but it has come at a bad time.

"We always rely on the Christmas trade to get us through the next couple of months. You feel at the end of your tether."

Meanwhile England will be looking to dish up a feast of goals on Saturday night, and Tina said she'd still be hoping for an England win, despite the impact.

"Of course I want England to win," she added. "I love my country and I've always had flags up in the past."

Restaurateur Mehmet Dari, who runs Turkish chain A La Turka, says bookings have been cancelled or rearranged tomorrow due to the England match – with some customers opting for a takeaway instead.

"Saturdays are normally a busy day for us but our customers are booking to come earlier so they can watch the football at home," said Mehmet, who runs restaurants in Herne Bay, Canterbury and Ramsgate.

"It has affected us but sometimes when there is football on, more people come in the next day.

"We’ve had about five to 10 people cancelling and a few changing their [booking] times.

"The football starts at 7pm so people are going to be coming earlier or later, and some will have a takeaway instead.

"It is a bit frustrating because we are meant to be busy at Christmas and we were expecting to be busier as the last few years we had Covid so we didn’t really have a Christmas, but now it is because of the football. It has affected us."

Meanwhile, even Maidstone's renowned French restaurant Frederic Bistro has seen Saturday night bookings moved to later dates, but they were not considering putting a TV up – even if the match does involve France.

Owner Ulric Allsebrook said: "We're not doing anything special, just Christmas parties for those that want to miss the footie – I suspect a few phones will be out.

"We're not worried at all for trouble if England is knocked out. We are near the sports bars and there's very little trouble even when England lose.

"A few of our bookings have been amended because of the match. A couple of tables have moved to either earlier or next week."

William Cakir, owner of the Stilebridge pub near Staplehurst, said the World Cup in general was having an impact on people eating out at the gastro-pub..

"We've definitely had less bookings" he said. "It's not just the football. It's Christmas as well; the cost of living. It's all adding up and creating a snowball effect.

"It's not too bad tomorrow night but there's been a general decrease.

"We're not going to have football on; we're more of a foodie pub."

Of course the problem could evaporate, along with England's dreams, if we get knocked out by the French – but if the Three Lions clinch a win... things could get Messi.