Prince Charles: Pub's success an inspiration

The brewery helped cover the costs of making the barn habitable and Suffolk Coastal District Council granted permission for the building's use to be changed.

Mr and Mrs Davies had temporarily run the post office from the pub but that side of the business has now been transferred to the barn.

They have employed extra staff to man the shop and villagers can now do everything in there from collecting their pensions and Giros, to buying newspapers, cigarettes, sweets, videos and DVDs.

It is open for 12 hours from 7am and Adnams spokesman Steve Manning told BBC News Online there had been a knock-on benefit for the pub.

It's great for the pub

Steve Manning Adnams spokesman

He said: "It's great for the pub. Some people who are not regulars are not keen to go into a strange pub but, by getting to know the people in the shop, that gives them the confidence to go in and have a drink."

He said the brewery was also in the process of adding a restaurant, and four en suite bedrooms for the holiday trade in another building at the White Hart.

But Mr Manning suggested the White Hart's success story worked because it was a "cracking" site right on the main road.

He said it probably would not have been as successful without the passing trade.