The Duke of Wellington to lay on free buffet for Queen's funeral day

The Duke of Wellington in Chew Moor is laying on a free buffet for people to gather together and watch the service.

Landlord Adam Griffiths was concerned many older people would be alone on the day and wanted to do something to ensure everyone did not feel upset and alone on the day.

With sandwiches, sausage rolls, pies and cakes, the free buffet will run from throughout the service until 2pm, after which people may still sit in the pub.

The pub will first open at 10am and put on hot drinks before the buffet.

Duke of Wellington Pub (Image: NQ)

Adam said: "While speaking to customers, I found they didn’t want to be on their own, so I decided to open and get everyone to come together in the village.

"There’s a lot of older people in the village and rather than them being on alone at home, they can watch the Queen’s funeral.

“Some people can get quite upset and emotional so we’re just making sure everyone is okay.”

Screens around the pub will show the funeral while the afternoon tea style buffet is on.

Adam said: “It’s just something nice to do because we’re a community pub.

“So far, we’ve had positive comments on it and people seem happy to come down.

“When the news initially broke of the Queen’s death, everyone in the pub stood up and it was quite a sombre moment.

“It was the right thing to do when everyone stood up and they had already asked to put the TV on when news of the Queen being ill was first heard.”

After 2pm, guests are free to stay at the pub and reminisce about the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

Adam said: “I was talking to a lady who was say thinking about the time the Queen came to Bolton so it’s a sad time for us all.

“I was shocked myself when I found out and my mum was upset as she’s a royalist.”