Bar owner pays staff left unemployed by coronavirus with money guests stapled to the wall

She managed to retrieve $3,714 (£2,986.87) worth of notes

The coronavirus pandemic has had widespread impact globally, with many people being furloughed or losing their jobs.

Travel has been one of the worst affected industries, with losses of up to £211 billion predicted for air travel alone, but it's far from the only sector suffering.

Lockdowns around the world has meant that bars and restaurants have been forced to close, with already low-paid workers now out of a job.

But one bar owner has gone viral for her creative thinking in paying her recently unemployed staff.

Jennifer Knox, owner and bartender at The Sand Bar in Tybee Island has managed to collect $3,714 (£2,986.87) in notes from the wall of her bar.

The bar, located in the US state of Georgia, had currency from all over the world stapled to its wall.

Guests used to write on a banknote and then staple it to the wall to leave their mark, and they covered the entire bar from walls to ceiling.

Some of these notes date back almost 15 years, to when the bar first opened, so not all are in good condition. And some have been stuck to the wall with multiple staples, CNN reports.

In a Facebook post announcing the move, Knox wrote: "Since the word is getting out, thought I’d share it here! The Sand Bar is going to have a fresh new look, while giving back at the same time!

"We are taking down the dollar bills!! And donating all the money to our bartenders and musicians that need it! Figure, we got money (on the walls), and we got time!! So excited for this Labor of Love. And a good spring cleaning!!"

Over three and half days, Knox and a group of volunteers completed the laborious task of removing all the money from the wall, cleaning them and counting them.

Locals who heard about her endeavour also donated to the cause, bringing the sum up to $4,104 (£3,300.52). It meant that in total, she was able to give away $600 (£482.53) to four bartenders and two musicians.

This isn't the only example of the generosity of people towards those working in the hospitality industry affected by coronavirus.

When the lockdowns were first announced, a customer left a £8,000 tip in a Texas restaurant so the owners can help pay staff.

The unnamed man wrote on the receipt: “Pay your guys over the next few weeks.”

According to Louis Galvan, owner of Irma’s Southwest in Houston, the unexpected windfall was left by one of the restaurant’s regulars who has been eating there for 15 years.

Just a day later, another generous customer left a £2,000 tip in a different restaurant.

Coaches Bar and Grill in Columbus, Ohio, shared a picture of the generous offering on social media.

“When the going gets tough, the tough stay loyal,” read the caption on the tweet.

The diner, whose meal had only come to $29.75, wrote on the receipt: “Please split this tab equally between (staff members) Tara, Nicky, Jum, Liz and Arrun.”