Couple support local suppliers

The owners of a village shop and post office are urging people to support local suppliers.

Mr and Mrs Martin Evans, who own Winthorpe Post Office, sell locally-produced fruit, vegetables, meat and eggs as part of the Good N’ Local scheme.

The couple got involved about six weeks ago with the aim of enticing people to shop locally.

Mr Evans said: “We think it will improve things from our point of view. It has been fairly popular up to now.

“Hopefully a lot more people in the village will start to support it because we are the only shop in the village.”

The couple stock meat from Tuxford, eggs from Caunton, fruit and vegetables from Newton-on-Trent, and ice cream from Retford.

Previously they sold produce that was not local.

There are plans to expand the local goods on offer to wines and cakes.

Mr Evans said: “We are finding that people buying the food now did not buy it from us before. It is purely on the basis that we now sell local food.

“It is something the supermarkets can’t provide. Local residents and producers should use that to their advantage.”

The local food scheme was introduced to the couple by the project’s co-ordinator for the East Midlands, Mr David Rose, of Shackerdale Farm, Car Colston.

Mr Rose will be doing a survey in and around Winthorpe to assess residents’ needs.