Coronavirus: Gosport pub hands out toilet roll

The pub was inundated with donations after it offered beer in return fo toilet rolls

A pub is offering toilet roll and handwash to locals after being inundated following an appeal when it ran short amid coronavirus stockpiling.

The Jolly Roger pub in Gosport, Hampshire, ended up with 150 loo rolls when landlady Hayley Hood asked for them on Tuesday.

In a Facebook post, the pub offered a pint, a spirit or a glass of wine in return for four toilet rolls.

Mrs Hood said she would give the excess to anyone in need in the area.

She said the pub launched its online appeal to "add some lightness to the situation" when it ran out of toilet paper.

Mrs Hood said: "I didn't realise I would end up with 150 toilet rolls - my office looks better than an Asda shelf.

"We have so much we are handing it out to anyone who hasn't got any through a Facebook group we have set up supporting anyone in the community."

She said the scheme had created a buzz in the pub but she was "very worried" about the coming months and her 18 staff as she had seen a 75% fall in customer numbers.

"If we were told by the Government the pub would have to shut then we would look at insurance," she said.

"But at the moment he (Prime Minister Mr Johnson) hasn't done that but he has told people to avoid us - he has thrown us under the bus."

On Tuesday, chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed a £350bn package for UK firms to battle the impact of coronavirus, including £330bn of business loan guarantees.

It also included aid to cover a business rates holiday and grants for retailers and pubs.

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