Sheps plugs gap in village postal services

Kent brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame has become the first in the country to launch mobile post offices at four of its rural houses. The pubs will offer postal services, such as pension payments, alongside pints, one day a week, at the Chequers in Doddington, the Three Mariners in Oare, the Carpenters Arms in Eastling and the White Lion in Selling. They will also offer a grocery delivery service. All four pubs are situated around Faversham in North Downs villages that no longer have dedicated post offices or shops. Shepherd Neame hopes to plug this gap in the market as well as attract new pub customers. Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame said: "The pub run follows on from the success of our pioneering Post Office in a pub' at the Railway, Higham, and demonstrates our continued commitment to the pub as the hub' of the community." He said Shepherd Neame was exploring further opportunities with the Post Office and other partners. It was, for example, piloting a wireless broadband initiative at three pubs, including the Chequers. Angela Puxted, sub-postmistress of Challock Post Office and village store, will take the mobile office to each of the four pubs once a week for two hours, supported by her son, Andrew. As well as all the usual Post Office services ­ excluding road tax ­ villagers will also benefit from the grocery ordering service. Jonathan Neame, along withSean Carter from the Kent Association of Rural Retailers, launched the new service on Monday.