Cheerio! Bars in Lyon can open at 7 a.m. Sunday for the Bears’ early game

By mayoral decree, Bears fans can start drinking earlier in bars in Lyon on Sunday.

The Bears play in London against Jacksonville and kickoff is at 8:30 a.m. Chicago time on Sunday.

Normally, Lyon bars are not allowed to open until 10 a.m. on Sundays. However, they are allowed to open and start serving as early as 7am

With an eye on the early start of the game – and knowing that Bears fans like their beer, a Bloody Mary and other drinks – Mayor Christopher Getty sent this letter to the owners of eight bars in the village on Tuesday:

Dear owner/operator,

This Sunday, October 13th, the Chicago Bears will play in London, England, with kickoff starting at 8:30 a.m. CST. Due to this momentous occasion and unique start time, I am allowing all Class A liquor license holders to open their establishments at 7 a.m. on October 13th

Thank you very much,

Christopher Getty
mayor
Local Liquor Commissioner

On Tuesday night at the Township of Lyons board meeting, Getty, the township manager, said going with the earlier kickoff was simply the right thing to do.

Most Bears games start at noon.

He pointed out that long ago, taverns and bars were not allowed to serve alcoholic drinks until midday, making it difficult for fans when kick-off was at noon.

That changed years ago when the revised liquor license allowed serving to begin at 10 a.m. on Sundays, two hours before the 12 p.m. kickoff.

Getty said it was a one-day event and that the 10 a.m. start time would return the following Sunday, Oct. 20.

Hey, maybe the Bears are coming to Lyon for some libations. Finally, they are not playing on October 20th as it is their bye week.