Pub managers have warned its new takeaway cafe will be the only way it will survive the second national lockdown.

Eastern Daily Press: Trina Lake and Bradley Richards in the new outside bar they built in the beer garden of The Crown pub in Costessey during the first national coronavirus lockdown. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMANTrina Lake and Bradley Richards in the new outside bar they built in the beer garden of The Crown pub in Costessey during the first national coronavirus lockdown. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

Trina Lake, 41, and Bradley Richards, 33, who run The Crown pub on Norwich Road, Costessey, have put in thousands of pounds from their wedding fund into turning part of the building into a cafe for takeaway breakfasts.

Miss Lake, who took over the management of the pub two years ago, will cook the food in the pub and the operation will be opening in a week’s time.

She said: “Everyone was upset that it came to temporarily closing the pub. A lot more people were upset for us as a business because there is nothing we can do about it and it is our only source of income. The government is keeping a lot of things open but pubs don’t get a say at the moment.

“We take each day as it comes. The takeaway cafe is our only hope of survival.”

Any breakfast items which can be cooked, including a fry up, will be available Monday to Saturday and will have to be pre-ordered and will be cooked at the pub.

Miss Lake, who has had to have financial support from her mother to fund the takeaway project, is hoping to expand the service to lunches and evening meals.

Before the second national lockdown the couple did not serve food but Miss Lake said the takeaway food venture was the only way forward.

MORE: Landlords forced to shut their pub launch fresh food boxes for NHS staffShe is doubtful the lockdown will end on December 2 so the couple have decided to decorate the pub with Christmas decorations.

“We want the pub to light up to bring some Christmas cheer for the community. It will be somewhere for people to look at,” Miss Lake added.

The Crown is also collecting money for mental health charity Mind and hosting street food vans during the lockdown.

She believed it was unfair pubs got a lot of the blame for the rise in coronavirus cases when businesses made a lot of changes and customers followed the rules.

Mr Richards said: “You can have 300 people in Asda but cannot have 30 people in a pub.”

During the first lockdown the couple sold and donated fruit and vegetable boxes but they would not be doing that during this lockdown.

They were due to marry this year but have pushed their wedding back to 2022 because of the pandemic.