IT'S the friendly Southampton pub which thrives on football and fundraising.

England's progress in the Euros has been a major boost for The Brass Monkey in Shirley, which prides itself on being a community pub helping various local charities.

Covid guidelines only allow a sold out audience of 90 into the pub for matches at the moment, but they managed to make it sound like the usual 320 when celebrating Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane's goals, which secured victory over Germany on Tuesday night.

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The pub has a friendly bunch of locals who have welcomed Laura Keenan and Simon Funnell since they took over the pub in October.

Laura told the Daily Echo: "I'm not going to lie, it's not been easy taking over during this time. But we're really really enjoying it.

"The football is great. We'd normally be dead on a Tuesday afternoon, but we had 90 people book for the England match.

Daily Echo:

"It's just a really relaxed local community pub. Everyone knows everyone. There's not anyone who walks in the door that doesn't find someone they know or someone they can talk to. Everyone gets along and we don't have a lot of trouble."

Part of the pub's ethos is to help local causes and there have already been a number of fundraisers including race nights and raffles for Breast Cancer Now and The Alzheimers Society. The latest effort is seeing locals chip in to see one regular, Onky, have his beard dyed in bright, glittery colours in aid of a prostate cancer charity.

During the height of the Covid crisis, all unused stock was donated to the hospital and 150 eggs went to The Big Difference.

The Brass Monkey also has their own five a side team. They won a fair play competition and are due to take on a side which includes Saints legend Matt Le Tissier next week.

A wood-fired pizza oven was installed in December, when 'substantial meals' were required in pubs, but it's primarily a wet led pub. People are welcome to bring their own food from any of the local takeaways. It makes them stay longer quips landlady Laura!

  • The Brass Monkey is our pub of the week. Click on the link below if you'd like us to feature your watering hole.