The coronavirus pandemic has proved to be particularly tough for our favourite watering holes, but one pub owner has gone the extra mile to boost spirits.

Like boozers up and down the country, the Haystack has been unable to welcome punters for extensive periods of the last year.

However, Warren Garner, the owner of the pub on Canvey’s Furtherwick Road, has been busy ensuring members of the community are not seeing their mental health deteriorate in these unprecedented times.

Alan Ingram, 73, is among those to have joined Warren in fun-filled Zoom meetings since the initial Covid-19 outbreak 12 months ago.

While being unable to open the Haystack’s doors, Warren has been hosting nightly discussions thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

Alan, of Benderloch, Canvey, is thankful for Warren being selfless throughout the pandemic.

He said: “Warren has organised nightly Zoom meetings for a small group of us from the start of the first lockdown right up until now.

“Three of us who join the meetings live alone, so they help to relieve some of the boredom we encounter day to day.

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“He calls us every day, even if it’s late in the evening, and we spend anywhere between two and four hours having a chat.

“We discuss the day’s news and anything that we think may be of interest to the others on the call.

“Warren is a good friend and it’s great that he gives us something to look forward to every day.”

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