Sheffield pub owners thank community and unexpectedly create selfie hotspot

The White Lion, on London Road, announced on March 20 that it would be closing its doors ‘for the foreseeable future’.

However, thanks to a fundraiser, owners Jon Terry and Mandy Billings, were able to reopen their pub on July 21.

They said: "On behalf of The White Lion, we'd like to say a huge thank you to James Norton and his running group for getting the ball rolling and our unending gratitude to all our friends and customers for their kind generosity. It will never be forgotten."

With social distancing guidelines to abide by, The White Lion has opened up a previously closed corridor, much to the delight of customers who have since visited.

Jon said: “People have been queuing up to take selfies.”

The fundraiser, started by James Norton - a sports coach who used the pub as part of his C25K programme - raised over £2500.

Jon told how it was ‘amazing’ to hear of what James did off his own back, describing those who donated as ‘a loyal bunch of regulars’.

Although it has been a difficult time for Jon and Mandy throughout lockdown, they continued to host online pub quizzes via the Zoom app, as they felt it was important to keep in touch with regulars.

Being a community hub pub that serves community groups as well as regulars, Jon and Mandy have seen some familiar faces back in the pub, but numbers have dropped a bit.

They hope more people will be encouraged to visit with the reintroduction of their music events - the first of which has sold out.

The White Lion is known for its live music nights but he understands that people may still be a bit anxious about visiting amid the pandemic and people ‘should come when they are ready’.

He said: “If anyone has any questions regarding booking tables or facilities, just give us a call or send a message on Facebook.”

Contact details can be found: here

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