I am looking for advice on starting up a village shop in my own premises. I have already made enquiries about re-opening the sub post-office which closed some months ago.

These days you need to show a little imagination in your ideas for a village shop and sub-post office. The fact that a former business closed down in your village some months ago suggests that a traditional and old-fashioned format may not work. You need to involve your local community in deciding what is needed and what would work.

As to the sub post office element, you would become an employee of the Post Office and receive a salary. This means you need to be acceptable as a stable and honest individual with a solid financial base – which I am sure you are.

There are many organisations keen to help village shops establish themselves in rural communities. The Village Retail Services Association (www.virsa.org; 01305-259383) is a charity set up with the aim of helping villages to keep their shop and post office. The association can advise on setting up a new shop..