MOURNERS gathered together to watch the Queen’s state funeral inside Colchester’s pubs and social clubs as a nation said its final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II.

Although the majority of shops and businesses remained closed yesterday, a handful of hostelries remained open, with some gathering at the Camulodunum, The George, and George Street Snooker Club to watch the television coverage of the funeral with one another.

Many of the city centre’s food chains remained closed although Bill’s, Wagamama’s and Five Guys all opened from noon to welcome customers.

The Camulodunum opened as normal at 11am and around 20 people were inside watching the state funeral with the atmosphere was solemn and respectful.

Mick Wood said it he felt it important to watch the funeral, even though he was not a royalist.

He said: "I’m not a royalist, particularly but like a lot of people, it’s just one of those events in history.

"I’m 69 now, and the Queen has been there all my life – it’s actually very moving.

"This might sound daft, but when I was nine or ten-years-old, I joined the cubs – everything from that point onwards was allegiance to God and to the Queen.

"If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it many times – no-one does it like the Brits.

"I see the Navy there… it makes me feel very emotional because my dad was in the Navy."

Some of the Camulodunum’s regulars, one of whom was Terry Ralph, went more because of their own routines than to watch the funeral.

He said: "It wasn’t the fact that I came to watch it – I’m here every day bar Saturday, in this seat – the funeral is being recorded at home.

"The atmosphere has mostly been good – I appreciate what the pub has done in opening and putting it on."

In Clacton, a screening of her Majesty’s funeral took place in Century Cinema, in Pier Avenue.

One cinema supporter praised the chain, run by Picturedrome Electric Theatre Company, for screening the coverage.

She said: "What a lovely thing to do, especially for people on their own.

"It was a chance to mourn with others."