Fancy a pint? Head to the queen vic

By KATIE HIND FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY 22:11 13 Feb 2021, updated 22:15 13 Feb 2021 SHARE OR COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE: EastEnders has left thirsty viewers stunned – and rather envious – by

keeping its famous pub the Queen Vic open. In scenes at odds with real life, characters on the BBC One soap are continuing to meet there for drinks and vicious rows despite the current ban

on boozers that is expected to last until at least the end of next month. Fans have taken to Twitter to share their surprise – and envy.  One said: 'EastEnders is in an alternate

universe. Do the police know the Queen Vic is open?'  Others wrote: 'Queen Vic – only pub open in the country. Rolling on the floor laughing #Eastenders,' and 'EastEnders

the Queen Vic should be packed, only pub open in the UK'. On Friday night, there were dramatic scenes in the pub, a key location on the Albert Square set, when Sharon Mitchell, played

by long-serving actress Letitia Dean, became landlady when husband Ian Beale handed over control after annulling their marriage. The soap's eaterie Kathy's Cafe is also open. While

sources on set say bosses have kept the two places open to provide escapism for their viewers, they have aired a storyline which saw character Sonia Fowler, played by Natalie Cassidy, work

as an NHS nurse on the show and make frequent references to the pandemic. RELATED ARTICLES Meanwhile, other fans have accused the soap of failing in its public service messaging by showing

stars not wearing masks. A spokesperson for the soap said: 'Writing and filming for the series takes place many months in advance. 'Whilst references to Covid have been made, it

would be impossible to accurately reflect the ever-changing situation without re-filming months of content, so we decided to continue making the drama our audience expects, providing much

needed escapism.' SHARE OR COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE: FANCY A PINT? HEAD TO THE QUEEN VIC