Coffee mornings go down a treat at historic South Shields boozer the Harbour Lights as pub reopens after lockdown

The landlords of the Harbour Lights are bringing a different vibe to the longstanding boozer as they welcome back customers after lockdown.
Chris and Karen McKellar reopened the Harbour Lights on Monday, July 6.Chris and Karen McKellar reopened the Harbour Lights on Monday, July 6.
Chris and Karen McKellar reopened the Harbour Lights on Monday, July 6.

Chris and Karen McKellar, who took over the Lawe Road pub in September 2019, were back behind the bar for the first time in three months on Monday, July 6.

The pub reopened two days after the lockdown restrictions were lifted on Saturday, July 4, with a number of new regulations in place.

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The capacity has been reduced by just over half to allow for the one-metre plus social distancing measures and customers are all temperature tested before being allowed in.

They are now hosting daily coffee mornings in a first for the historic pub.They are now hosting daily coffee mornings in a first for the historic pub.
They are now hosting daily coffee mornings in a first for the historic pub.

It’s now table service only in the pub and staff are not accepting bookings from groups of more than six.

The couple – who previously ran the historic Holborn Rose and Crown on Hill Street – are now branching out with a first for the Victorian-era venue, holding daily coffee mornings to draw in new clientele.

From 9am-11am, Monday-Saturday the pub now serves a selection of speciality teas, coffees, cakes and scones – which Karen bakes freshly on site every day.

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The response so far has been ‘really good’ they say, with people enjoying the ‘different vibe’ that the coffee mornings are bringing to the boozer.

Speciality tea, coffee and freshly baked scones and cakes are on offer.Speciality tea, coffee and freshly baked scones and cakes are on offer.
Speciality tea, coffee and freshly baked scones and cakes are on offer.

"We had always planned on doing this sort of thing, but the lockdown has given us the chance to get everything ready," said Karen.

“The response has been great, we’ve had people in every day.

She added: “I’ve never heard of anyone doing anything like at the pub before, but with the view here it’s the perfect site for it.

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“It’s a completely different vibe to what the pub is used to. We start serving alcohol at 11am and there’s a nice transition.”

Staff are gearing up for their first weekend serving since they reopened on Monday, but are encouraged by how things have gone so far.

Karen said: “The weekend is going to be an interesting challenge but everybody has been brilliant so far. All our customers have been really responsive and understanding about the rules.”

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