A much-loved village butcher is to expand into a community store after a boom in trade due to the pandemic.

Hewitt and Grant, in Coltishall, has announced plans to transform its already thriving butcher's shop into a store of luxury goods and essentials to "provide for the village".

The store will include products from Dollies Bakery, frozen pizzas from Brick, milk and cheese from Norton's Dairy and honey sourced from Hainford.

Eastern Daily Press: Hewitt and Grant, in ColtishallHewitt and Grant, in Coltishall (Image: Hewitt and Grant)

Tom Grant, 35, took over the business, which has been a butcher's shop for 100 years, in 2016.

Mr Grant has seen more locals using the shop rather than supermarkets since the coronavirus lockdowns.

He said: "Purely from a business view, the pandemic was the best thing to happen to the shop.

"We have a great butchery trade and I keep being asked if anywhere in the village sells certain things, such as bread rolls for the burgers - so we want to be a one-stop-shop.

"The butchery will stay as it is with our selection of pies and pastries.

"We are trying to balance locally produced products with affordability, providing the village with daily essentials and a few little luxuries, saving them a trip to the big shop and catering for the tourist trade we get off the boats."

Eastern Daily Press: Jemima Wood, when Dollies Bakery was in ColtishallJemima Wood, when Dollies Bakery was in Coltishall (Image: Denise Bradley)

The village has seen the loss of Farm and Fork and Fish in November last year, and Dollies Bakery in February.

Mr Grant added: "People are delighted to have Dollies back, as she was so popular in the village.

"Shopping at a butcher's shop can be somewhat of a luxury, so we want to offer a bit extra."

Mr Grant's goal is to open on Good Friday on April 7.