Pub shop: How a Kent landlord turned a disused barn into a thriving village shop
Video report by ITV Meridian's Charlotte Wilkins
A pub near Canterbury, has built a village shop on site to breathe life back in to the heart of the community.
While the Fitzwalter Arms remained closed to customers, they decided to welcome back visitors at a social distance to pick up essential items without needing to travel far from home.
The last year has been particularly difficult for the pub trade across the South, so the innovative move is one of many landlords and ladies who have looked to other ways of making ends meet.
Christine Plummer, the Parish Clerk says: "I think the village definitely felt like it was lacking just that little place you could pop to for the milk and bread, and I think the village shop does bring the community together."
It took just a few weekends to turn the pub's disused barn, in to a thriving village shop selling anything from meat and veg, to local crafts and produce.
It's helped Lyn, who only took over the running of the pub in last summer, to keep ticking over during this turbulent time.
She was given a grant by pub is the hub, a not for profit organisation which advises pubs in rural areas on how they can diversify.
Tim Tempest, Pub is the Hub:
The shop has only been open a few weeks, but already it's injected some much needed community spirit back in to the heart of this village helping with social isolation as well as the daily essentials.