More than 20,000 people attend virtual lockdown gigs hosted by Cornwall pubs amid Coronavirus crisis
A number of pubs in Cornwall streamed a live music gig to more than 20,000 homes on Bank Holiday Monday.
The Bowgie Inn, Crantock, near Newquay, was one of the pubs making sure it is keeping spirits high at home.
On Bank Holiday Monday, The Bowgie co-hosted a live gig with Black Velvet Irish Music, with over 20,000 people all over the country and even the world tuning in.
Sally Pickles, owner of The Bowgie Inn, said the event was a huge success: "At one stage we had over 8,600 live viewers with some watching from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Spain and Ireland".
The pub received photos and videos of families dancing in the kitchen and fans commented throughout the gig with requests for favourite songs, to reminisce about previous gigs and to make pacts with each other about who will be buying the first round of drinks when lockdown is over.
The live stream was co-hosted by over a dozen Cornish pubs in which Black Velvet regularly play including the City Inn, Truro, White Hart, St Teath, The Ship, Padstow and Haywood’s Cider Farm, St Mabyn.
While live streaming, the gig was also raising money for the NHS with a fundraising link encouraging donations throughout.