Community shops are a key service in our local villages, but in the age of internet shopping, many have faded away, forcing people to commute greater distances to purchase their much needed supplies.

That’s why I was delighted to visit the The Lodge Pub in North Tuddenham last week to see how they are working to combat this trend and support local residents.

Part of the ‘Pub is the Hub’ initiative, which aims to encourage local pubs to set up hubs that provide local communities with the services they most need - The Lodge has opened a community shop to support the village.

This has been greatly welcomed locally and has also been a boost to the pub itself.

This is a great initiative, and I hope to see many similar projects in the coming months and years.

To find out more about the visit, please see the video below: