Creating Connections: Norfolk Pub Steps in to Support Local Community with Village Store

Locals in the village of Alpington and its surrounding villages can pop to the pub for all their essential food items after The Wheel of Fortune opened its village store in support of its local community.

The Alpington Community Shop was officially opened by local celebrity ITV Anglia news presenter David Whiteley.

Publicans Naomi Shulver and Barry Gelder took over The Wheel of Fortune in March 2022 after purchasing the freehold. They have worked hard to ensure the pub offers something for everyone, improving facilities such as the beer garden, children’s play area and opening two log cabins for overnight visitors.

The pub has already become the hub of the local community running events such as Chatty Café to help people overcome loneliness and social isolation. It also recently won the South Norfolk Pub of The Year for its commitment to developing the pub as an all-round village asset.

The publicans soon realised that there was a need for a village store as there is limited transport in the area and the nearest supermarket is a number of miles away.

Expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Pub is The Hub, a not-for-profit organisation that helps pubs to diversify their services and activities, was provided to support the opening of the village store, which saw the transformation of a storage unit on the site.  

The store offers a range of essentials from milk, cheese, eggs to tinned and household items. There are plans to work with more local suppliers to extend the range and support other local businesses.

The Alpington Community Shop is being run by trained volunteers and any profits made are being ploughed back into local community projects.

Publican Barry Gelder said: “This is an important community service we are offering to people who live locally. We have a high number of elderly residents in the area and want to make sure there is somewhere for them to come for their food items as well as having a safe space to meet.

“We are planning to work in collaboration with other local businesses to make sure we stock more local produce. This is a pub for all people, and we want everyone to have a warm welcome.”

Regional advisor for Pub is The Hub Terry Stork said: “This is a pub that is really at the heart of its community. This important village store will support people living in the local area and will also help them to overcome social isolation.”

The shop is opening Thursday to Saturday mornings during December but will increase its hours in January. The opening hours will be posted on its Facebook page, on local notice boards and in the shop window.

Editor’s Notes

Pub is The Hub is a not-for-profit organisation, which offers independent specialist advice to publicans on rural services diversification and activities so they can provide viable local services and social value at the heart of their community. 

With a proven track record of rural project development and delivery over the last 24 years, Pub is The Hub has worked with great publicans to open shops, libraries, cafes, community cinemas, allotments, play areas and much more. Since 2013, the organisation has also been able to offer small grants through its Community Services Fund.

Pub is The Hub has helped over 600 pubs diversify, with more than 200 of these benefitting from help through the Community Services Fund.

Building on its community services work in 2019 Pub is The Hub conceived its ‘Join Inn – Last Orders for Loneliness’ campaign. ‘Join Inn’, specifically looks to support publicans and their communities to become better connected, helping local people feel less isolated and, in the process helping to alleviate loneliness.

Website: www.pubisthehub.org.uk

Twitter: @PubistheHub_uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pubisthehub

Contact: michelleperrett@pubisthehub.org.uk

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