Locals who bought vouchers and t-shirts to save their boozer gathered to serenade the pub on Saturday, as it reopened for the first time in months.
The King’s Arms, in Tooley Street, like many pubs was hard-hit by the government enforced shut-down, missing out on big trading events like the London Marathon.
But on Saturday, the day pubs were officially given the go-ahead to reopen, punters gathered outside – to sing a socially distanced rendition of ‘Give a Little Love’.
The pub’s landlady, Tamra Gray, said customers had saved the pub by purchasing vouchers and tee-shirts to give them much-needed cash during lockdown.
“Our regulars and neighbours have been amazingly supportive, coming down every Thursday to dance and clap with us to support the NHS,” she said.
“Sending gifts,cards and buying vouchers and our T-shirt’s through the save pub life scheme.
“We have been blown away by their positivity and love for the pub and couldn’t have got through this without them.”
The gastro-pub landlady said the fate of the boozer had been in jeopardy in March, as it was prevented from opening – meaning it could have gone to the wall without the intervention of regular punters.
The King’s Arms has been open since 2003, and describes itself as a place with an “unpretentious atmosphere” and “diverse and eclectic” customers.