Codrington Arms licensees, Jenna Hale and Paul Jefferies have re-opened Yate village shop and post office in an old barn at the back of their pub. The Old Barn Post Office and Shop was officially opened by local MP, Luke Hall last Saturday.
Yate village in South Gloucestershire has been without a post office and shop since the North Road Post Office closed in May 2015 due to the retirement of the previous post mistress and the Post Office had approached Jenna and Paul to see if they would be interested in taking it on.
With two years at the pub under their belt building up the business, the entrepreneurial couple consulted with the rural pubs organisation Pub is The Hub and they decided to take the plunge. Whilst in discussions with Reg Clarke, the Pub is The Hub advisor for the South West region, the couple discovered that they would be able to apply for a grant of £1,500 from the organisation’s Community Services Fund to help towards the cost of converting the pub’s disused barn.
The grant from Pub is The Hub has helped to pay towards the cost of the conversion along with support from three other local businesses: Kent Plastics who supplied the front door; South West Interiors who supplied some of the shop fittings; and All Signs who supplied the signage.
Opening times will be from 8am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday; 9.30am -12.30pm on Saturday and 10am to 2pm Sunday and it will be staffed by two new employees. In addition to the usual Post Office services, the shop will serve convenience items, newspapers and locally supplied goods such as eggs from Patch Elm Farm, bread from Cottage Bakery and meat from Buxton Butchers of Winterbourne.
Jenna said: “Although Paul and I have only been running the pub for two years, we are both from this area and thought it would be a great opportunity to offer the shop and post office service from The Codrington Arms. We have been overwhelmed with the support we have had from local people and the help from local businesses to convert the barn. We are especially grateful to Reg and Pub is The Hub for all their support.
“We’re open seven days a week and for long hours so it doesn’t take much to make the transition from pints to post!”
Luke Hall MP said: “I am absolutely delighted to join Jenna and the team to open the new post office at the Codrington Arms. Jenna has shown great community spirit in ensuring local residents retain this service when it was looking likely the former post office was set to close. I am certain that residents will join me in thanking her and Paul for stepping up to keep this vital service in our community.”