Southport fell silent for The Queen's funeral today.
The north Merseyside town mourned the death of Her Majesty who died aged 96 on Thursday, September 8, with people gathering in bars, cafes and each other's homes to watch the state funeral which saw thousands flock to London in remembrance. On a wet and sombre morning, those who didn't want to spend the morning alone visited friends and family for the historic funeral.
One bar, Sacre Bleu on Seabank Road in Southport, opened at 10am and hosted people who came to respectfully remember the longest-reigning monarch in the country's history. Owner of the town centre bar James Breen told the ECHO that he had been asked by as many as 20 people about whether he was opening.
READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral order of service in full
The 31-year-old gave out complimentary hot drinks and biscuits as he welcomed people in. He said: "People want to be in the community and environment they feel comfortable in. I wouldn’t have opened if people hadn’t asked me.
"We're going to keep it as respectful as possible. It'll return to normal after the service but we're not playing any music or anything, just the TV. It's sad. The nation's nan has died. People have their own personal way of mourning and we wanted to be there for people."
Ruth Lloyd who works at the bar said: "It’s good that we can welcome people in because over the last few years people have had to be on their own. I've always liked the Royal Family. It's sad to see it but I'm looking forward to seeing what good King Charles will do."
One customer, Dean Clark, 44, visited the bar as he wanted to watch the historical funeral with friends, with him aware he'll probably never see another Queen in his lifetime. He told the ECHO before the funeral began: "I’m going to be upset.
"I was watching the minute’s silence last night and it was upsetting. It’s never happened before in my lifetime and I’ll never see another queen in my life."
In the hours leading up to the funeral, the town was quiet, with a pile of floral tributes being placed outside The Atkinson on Lord Street, the location where the town's Book of Condolences has been kept following the death. People walked along Lord Street in a sombre fashion, with little to no noise other than traffic filling the town centre.
Shops shut and bars open only to host people for the funeral, it shows the impact the death has had on the country.
You can light a candle for Queen Elizabeth II here or leave a tribute to her here .
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