IT is not only diehard England fans who will be hoping for victory in tomorrow morning's World Cup showdown with Brazil.

With football fever sweeping the nation, the region's pubs and clubs are seeing record profits.

As fans pack pubs from 7am for the game - many of them expecting to stay all day if Beckham's boys can do the business - landlords are praying for England to go all the way to the final.

Most expect England's quarter-final clash to be the most profitable game so far.

Some pubs have been offering fans breakfast with their beer as a way of attracting more supporters through the doors.

Despite the 7.30am kick-off, Gillens Sports bar, in Hartlepool, is expecting more than 300 England fans to pack the pub.

Manager Stephen Parks said: "Our profits are well up thanks to the games. Our takings are up by more than 50 per cent though I can't give exact figures. Profits are definitely up."

Jim Suggit, of the North-East Licensed Victuallers Association, said that the World Cup had been good news for pubs.

He said: "It has had a great effect. At a national meeting at our head office it was reported that the World Cup had had a nice effect and pubs have done very well.

"Pubs have been holding competitions and putting on breakfasts. They have really put themselves out and why not? The World Cup doesn't happen often."

But if the over-the-moon breweries are raising a glass to Sven's success, other firms feel sick as a parrot as the cost of lost man-hours adds up.

National figures released by the Centre of Economic and Business Research reported that British businesses could lose £1bn if England beat the Brazilians.

And after Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted yesterday he was considering giving workers an extra day off if they reached the final, the bill for business could reach even higher.

North-East companies such as Nissan, Orange and Northumbrian Water, who have allowed employees to watch games during work time, do not believe production will be affected.

Nissan is hoping to claw back man hours by letting staff make up the time later in the year.

The North-East Chamber of Commerce is not expecting the region's companies to be adversely affected, largely thanks to the early kick-off.

President John Irwin said: "Of course it's up to individual businesses to decide if it's practical for their employees to take a break to watch the quarter final.

"It's going to be a quiet day for some, but business as usual, particularly with the earlier kick-off."

Generous boss Dave McGuire, head of Washington Envelopes, has given the whole factory time off on full pay to watch the games.

The factory, on Hertburn Industrial Estate, usually operates around the clock but production will stop every time England play a game.

Schoolchildren will not miss out either. More than 30 schools in the region will get a free footie feast tomorrow, courtesy of Connexions Tees Valley - a new support service for young people.

l The National Fire Service 25-mile Time Trial cycling event, run by Cleveland Fire Brigade, got only 26 competitors last Saturday because it clashed with the England versus Denmark match.