Northampton pub collecting donations for those in need this Christmas - can you help?

One Northampton pub is refusing to let the tier two coronavirus rules stop it from being the centre of the community by collecting donations for those in need this Christmas.

The Old Five Bells is asking for gifts, food and festive decorations for the team to hand out to lonely old people or families who could do with the support.

The Kingsthorpe local is yet to reopen after the second national lockdown but landlady Liz Cox wanted to do something to help the less fortunate.

"We base ourselves as a family pub so just because we aren't back open yet, it doesn't mean we can't do stuff for the community," she told the Chronicle & Echo.

"I've put the word out for presents, food and unwanted decorations then we'll find out who deserves it and we will deliver them to make sure there's no one going without if we can.

"It's been an awful year for everyone so I just wanted to do something nice for people."

The Old Five Bells owners originally planned to keep it closed because of restrictions on household mixing and having to serve a 'substantial meal' to every patron.

Plus they were worried about wasting stock if Northamptonshire is put into tier three next week but Liz convinced them to open on a part-time basis on the busiest days.

The pub will be serving customers again from Friday (December 11) to Sunday this week and from Thursday to Sunday next week.

Looking back on how this December compares to previous years, Liz said: "By now we are normally doing Christmas parties, we had the carvery set up ready too.

"But we've had to put a hold on that for now as there's no point if we're only open a few days and get closed down.

"So that's probably going to wait until January or we may be locked down again so who knows.

"But usually all weekend would be full, we'd have Christmas events and music and all sorts - so it's far from normal this year."

As well as the donations, The Old Five Bells is hosting an impromptu, socially-distanced Christmas fair from 12pm on Saturday for local traders to sell their wares.

The pub had been hosting them during October, with the last of three cancelled because of the lockdown, and Liz wanted to give people another chance to shop before Christmas.

"I put the feelers out to see if anyone was interested to support the traders the other day and I've been inundated with people wanting a table," she said.

"It's a little bit of normality and Christmas spirit that I think we all need."

Donations can be brought to the pub from 12-2pm any day and anytime when the pub is open. For more information, visit facebook.com/old5bells.