But one Norfolk community is reversing the trend as it prepares to open a new convenience store after more than three decades without one.

Paul the Karen Wilby are about to build the new shop in Denton, half way between Bungay and Harleston... but with no thanks to local council officials.

South Norfolk Council officers had recommended the venture be blocked, claiming it would be "unsustainable" and that there was no evidence the village needed a convenience store.

But locals spoke out in support, pointing out they currently faced a 10 mile car journey to get a pint of milk, and helped persuade councillors to override the officials' recommendation and give planning permission for the shop.

Old Dairy, the site of the new village shop at Denton. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Now, Mr Wilby and others are determined to prove the bureaucrats were wrong and that small and remote villages can sustain their own facilities.

He said he was grateful that councillors were giving him a chance.

"One of the people on the committee even told me that they aren't there to judge whether its sustainable or not, it's just to look at the planning," he added.

He acknowledged the store would require innovations in order to survive in the small village of around 300 people.

It will be run on a door-bell system, meaning it will not have to be continuously staffed, and will offer a 'video shopping' service, where customers can be shown around via a video call and have items delivered to them.

The couple also hope to stock cigarettes and lottery products, items not sold at their nearest supermarket, Harleston's Lidl, a ten-mile round trip from the village.

The store is expected to create up to three part-time jobs and will end the village's 35 year stint without a shop.

Kathryn Hanner, whose parents used to run the village shop in Denton, and Terry Hanner, the parish council chairman. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Denton's previous store, on Corner Road, served the community for at least 80 years.

Kathryn Hanner's parents used to run the original shop.

Mrs Hanner said: "It was my grandfather who started it in 1913, but it was a shop before that,

"We are all very excited for a new shop to come. It reminds me of my dad Alfred Pattel, because he ran that shop for many years."

While the former store was closer to the centre of the village, Mr Wilby, as a builder, will construct the new one on a concrete slab in his front garden of his home, the Old Dairy, on Darrow Green Road.

The property is a three-minute drive from the centre of the village and outside its 'development area', where it is easier to get planning permission.

The Wilby's new shop will feature a delivery service to help elderly villagers who struggle to get out. (Image: Denise Bradley)

This was one of the reasons council officers gave when they tried to block the project.

They said the site is "not well related" to Denton and is a "considerable distance away", down a single-track rural road with no footpaths, street lighting, bus or cycle routes to link it to the main settlement.

But Mr Wilby said the village was stuck in a bind, because there was no suitable site in the development area. So the alternative was simply not to have a store.

"We managed to overturn one of Norfolk's own policies, we were outside of the development area, which is by the village hall," he said.

"But that's all fully developed already and there's no room to put a shop there.

Located at Chapel Corner, Denton's last village shop, had closed at the end of 1991 (Image: Denton Parish Council)

"The point of refusal was that it was unsustainable, because there's no street lighting and no cycle lanes. But what village has street lighting?"

The parish council has always supported the scheme and voted unanimously to back it.

Terry Hanner, Kathryn's husband and chairman of the council, said he hoped the project would help breathe life into the village.

"As the parish council and the community we put our full support to Paul and Karen," he added.

"I'm really looking forward to the new shop, we all are. It was something we all wanted to see happen."

"We used to have a school that shut in 1978, and a pub that closed in 1984, and we opened a social club in the village hall in response to the pub closing and that's very well used.

Denton Parish Council has backed the plans for the new village store (Image: Newsquest)

"Denton has always been a community; it's a very nice place to live."

Mr and Mrs Wilby are now setting up a bank account for the business, something they were unable to do until planning permission was granted, and will then apply for alcohol and tobacco licences.

Plans for the store show a small Wendy house-style building with two front facing windows and a door.

Denton Village Hall is located to the centre of the community (Image: Google Maps)

Three parking spaces will also be provided.

The couple have also recently installed solar panels to power the new shop.

Alongside cigarettes and the lottery, it will also stock newspapers, fresh produce, and pet food, as well as other essentials.

The Wilbys hope to open the new shop this summer, with a target of being operational by June.

© Eastern Daily Press