Grocery shop returns to Harkstead

A young couple have opened a grocery shop in Harkstead, reviving a community service going back nearly 130 years.

Lybi and Ross have stocked the main bar at the Bakers Arms in the centre of the village with essential food items to provide a local service during lockdown two as from 11.05, Wednesday morning (November 11).

Fresh bread, milk, fresh meat, vegetables including onions, potatoes, sprouts, cabbages, carrots and pumpkins, are supplied by local farmers and butchers. An array of canned, and other packaged essential items and goodies are also available.

The Bakers Arms was originally a shop back in 1891 when Willian Daniels was the grocer, draper and he then sold ale asa retailer and became an innkeeper in the late 19th century.

Mr Daniels had the shop/pub until 1933 when Bertie Quantrill took it on as a pub and called it the Bakers Arms. Maria Leech reopened the Bakers in 2006 but two years later Leslie Charles Discome took over and ran it (along with shop items, until 2013 when the building was sold to the Cattermole family, with Michael Eavis and Sheila Grierson the publicans

Lybi and Ross now run the pub and are keen to support the community as much as they can by offering basic, fresh foodstuff from local producers, while also supplying takeaways.

Arts and crafts items from local residents will also be on display, including drone pictures from photographer Luke Macaulay, and a bespoke furniture has started to use a small room to showcase his talent, which will become a permanent feature once lockdown is over.

"The pub used to be a shop and we came up with this idea before lockdown," said Lybi. 'When we were initially told we could not sell alcohol to take away, it made sense to do this anyway.

"Our potatoes come from Cordles, vegetables from Craig Pitt Farm, onions from Wrinch Farm, the meat comes from Suffolk butcher George Debman at good price, and fresh bread from an independent bakers in Manningtree.

"We will give it a go, hope we get the support, and see how it goes."

The government has subsequently done a U-turn on takeaway beer sales, as long as it is pre-ordered, and the couple will also be doing takeaway food, including Sunday roasts.

The Shop will be open from 11am on Wednesday, through to Sunday, until takeaways finish at 9pm. (Check Breakfast Briefings for updated time changes, or the Bakers Arms Facebook page.)

Find the Bakers Arms shop on our Local List.

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