Exeter pub unveils Christmas lights early in the hope of spreading festive cheer
An Exeter pub has set up its massive annual Christmas lights display a little earlier than normal in an attempt to spread some festive cheer.
Every year the Stoke Arms, on Prince Charles Road, puts on an incredible lights display, which can be seen from a distance.
But this year the lights have gone up a little earlier than usual.
"We have started the lights!! I know its early but it cheers a few of us up!!" the pub said on its Facebook page.
"I have done them early as felt everyone could do with cheering up!! Still more to be done as well!!"
The lights are the work of landlady Ann Spence, who has been involved in pubs for more than 15 years.
Ann has always enjoyed using her pubs to get into the Christmas spirit, but it was only when she took over the Stoke Arms that she really had enough space to put on the kind of display she really wanted.
"I have always done big Christmas decorations indoors in every pub I have had," she said speaking to DevonLive after unveiling last year's display.
"The Half Moon where I used to be was phenomenal and I have some fantastic photos of that.
But I have never had a pub garden before and when I got that I just thought ‘wow, I can really do something fantastic here’.
Pubs don’t tend to do too much when it comes to Christmas I think, but I love it."
The Stoke Arms is doing food and drink available for delivery or collection during the current coronavirus lockdown.