Photo brilliantly sums up the lengths Brits will go to for the pub

A photo has perfectly captured British people’s desire to get on the lash, whatever the weather.

The picture, which was taken outside The Cranberry Farm pub, in Exeter, Devon, shows a group of women drinking and eating, valiantly propping up an armour of umbrellas to guard themselves against the surrounding torrential rain and wind.

The stoicism pictured is the fuel we need as Britain fights against the coronavirus pandemic. While pubs have been open (as of 12 April) people may only gather in groups up to six and only outside.

This may deter the weak-willed wishing to avoid adverse conditions and wait for sunshine, but Brits will stand naked in a blizzard if it means they can get a pint of lager or a cheeky Pinot Grigio and that is that.

Indeed, England’s pubs were running out of draft beer two weeks after reopening, such is the will to quaff away at that sweet nectar, and online drinks retailer The Bottle Club said they saw a 28.22% increase in traffic for their beer in the month in which restrictions eased.

Read more:

• Bill Gates announces he’s getting divorced - here’s how the internet reacted
• Billie Eilish fans defend singer after her Vogue cover sparks debate about her body
• TikToker told to leave partner after he was caught rolling his eyes during Live Photo
• Woman wearing bikini at a Hawaii beach told to leave beach by angry mother
• Man who claims he is Charles and Camilla’s son shares new photographic ‘evidence’

And according to forecasts, the pub group would have been enjoying highs of 11C as they tucked into their meals. In Britain, that’s positively Mediterranean. And people agreed:

While others admired the pub’s location:

Speaking to indy100, Mark Newbrook, General Manager of Cranberry Farm, said: “It wouldn’t be a British bank holiday without some rain. While this of course impacted some of our outdoor bookings, there were still some guests that were determined to visit the pub as planned. This just goes to show how strong the UK’s love for the pub is, and its role in bringing people together.”

But there is a limit to what people will put up with and even pubs know that. Yesterday, the Cranberry Farm made the brave decision to close as the rain became heavier:

Keep your flags, Conservatives. This is what patriotism looks like.