Queen's funeral: The Harwich pub that opened its doors for mourners

Nick May's pub dates back to the time of Elizabeth I but is named after the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War in 1854

Initially Harwich innkeeper Nick May thought he should close his pub on the day of the Queen's funeral out of respect. His staff talked him out of it, arguing those living alone in the Essex coastal town needed a place to mourn with others.

"I bowed to their better judgement, and have been proved wrong," the 53-year-old landlord of The Alma says.

"Pubs are one of the last vestiges of community, so it is part of our role to support that community. When a long-loved monarch dies it is our time to step up."

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Harwich before boarding the Royal Yacht Britannia in March 1958

Mr May says: "I think people who have lost their parents or grandparents saw the Queen as a surrogate parent or grandparent and there's a reminder of times past - she was a constant.

"This a group moment of grief."

Peter Bull (pictured left, with Adrian Jenner) says the Queen "was the country, really"

Peter Bull, 59, is a supervisor at the Port of Felixstowe on the other side of Harwich Harbour, and lifeboat operations manager at the RNLI. He has decided to commemorate the Queen at the pub.

"I was shocked [by the Queen's death] as the whole country was. She was the country, really," he says.

• Live updates: The Queen's funeral service

"I wanted to find a way to pay my respects and honour the Queen. I thought I would come and join friends and colleagues here rather than watch the funeral at home.

"Harwich was given its Royal Charter by James I in 1604 and has had strong links with royalty ever since."

The Queen visited Harwich on a number of occasions, most recently in 2004 when she met school children in the historic port

Former soldier Adrian Jenner, 50, lives in Harwich and is also an RNLI volunteer.

"I've come to watch it with friends and colleagues as I didn't have the opportunity to go up to London during the week," he says.

"This is ideal really rather than sitting at home watching it.

"Like 1.2m veterans, I swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen and I am proud to have served her and the country.

"I was saddened like many other people - it was a massive loss to the country."

(Left to right) Tony Francis, Julie Cook, Crispin Burdett and Faida Burdett have come together to watch the funeral

The pub has provided people with an opportunity to watch the service surrounded by others.

Faida Burnett says: "It is a privilege to be able to share this moment with the community around me and my neighbours."

Julie Cook says the atmosphere is solemn in the pub.

"When we walked in you could hear a pin drop," she says. "But it is just lovely."

People were silent as they watched the funeral on the big screen

Tony Francis says he is glad the pub opened its doors, as community was what the Queen was "all about".

"She was about pubs and people and schools and diversity," he says.

"Just touching the hearts of people, that's what she did."

People from Harwich gathered at The Alma, on King's Head Street, to watch the funeral as a community

Engineer Luke Giles, 37, came to the Alma from Lawford with his family and friends.

"We wanted to come down to mark the occasion with friends rather than be at home in isolation," he says.

"We're all friends and have children of the same age. It has been quite difficult to explain it [to the children] but we've done our best.

"I hope they didn't interrupt anybody's viewing of the funeral but they've been good for four and five year olds."

Luke Giles (right) says he and his friends have done their best to explain the Queen's death to their children

Derick Lyon, 91, is a former communications engineer and university lecturer.

"We've come because I believed in the Queen, and Nick was kind enough to invite us," he says.

He says he remembers the death of the Queen's father, George VI, which happened when he was a student at university.

"I remember feeling ever so touched," Mr Lyon says.

"You don't really realise how much we believe in the monarchy until one of them dies like this, and it comes to heart really."

Joan Lyon says she and her husband Derrick made a special effort to come to the pub for the funeral coverage

Mr Lyon's wife Joan, who used to organise exhibitions for the Marconi company, says: "This is a rarity for us, coming out.

"We've made a special effort to come here today."

Nick May says it was his staff who convinced him to open the pub for people who wanted to be with others

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