A Gloucester landlord is putting his pub firmly in the heart of the community by providing customers with home-cooked meals.

When normal Mother's Day service was cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown, Anton Williams of the Queen's Head, Longford , was determined it would not spoil the weekend for his regulars.

So he offered a pub grub pick-up service.

Four weeks later, he has served up hundreds of meals - not only to people living nearby and those unable to get out for regular shopping, but also to NHS and police frontline workers in need of a pick me up.

Anton, his wife Donna and daughter Millie have been running the Queen's Head for four years and he says the move to meet the culinary needs of his customers is his way of paying them back for their support.

Local supplies of fresh meat and veg are a challenge with some items unavailable and the price of others fluctuating, but this has not deterred Anton from cooking up some of the pub's familiar favourites.

Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday lunch menus are posted on the pub's Facebook page  when the pub knows what is available.

And from beef sirloin to apple crumble, the customers keep the orders coming. He's also arranged that customers can order bottles of lager, beer and cider.

Anton said: "We cooked 160 lunches last week. Our customers mean a lot to us. They have supported us for years and we feel it is time to support them.

"We know people want an alternative to Chinese and pizza and, as long as they can pick up their order and pay by card, we can provide our meals.

"We have helped a few of the older members of our community out - we can deliver locally and leave on their doorstep and a couple of other volunteers."

He continued: "Our customers are telling us that they really miss something that they were really taking for granted.

"We're happy to do our bit to keep the community going and keep the energy running through it."

Contact info@queensheadlongford.co.uk  or telephone 01452 301882 and you can find more on Facebook at Queensheadlongford