A VILLAGE shop is set to celebrate its first birthday after residents were left without a local store for years.

Greenfield Farm Shop in Anna Valley is preparing to celebrate its first birthday with an event tomorrow.

The store will be offering a free hog roast and live music to its customers as a way of thanking them for support received during the businesses first year.

Martin Martindale, of Greenfield Farm Shop based in Foundry Road, said: “We are holding this event to thank our current customers for their support and to increase local awareness of our existence.”

The shop opened at the beginning of April last year.

The previous local store in Anna Valley was closed in 2011.

The Andover Advertiser reported at the time that former postmaster Geoff Porteous, who ran the shop with wife Lynda for 33 years, said: “It is the heart of the village torn out” after he had watched the store being demolished.

Mr Martindale says the store has had a positive impact for the community in its year of operations.

He added: “Our shop has provided the community with a retail outlet often saving the need to travel into town by car and came into its own with the recent spell of inclement weather.

“The emphasis is on quality food with largely local provenance.

“Our store was set up to provide an outlet for our wide range of pork products and award winning sausages.

“We also wished to provide the local community with a range of essentials and other local produce.”

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