Eleven days after the closure of the long-established Sulby Stores, a new outlet opened literally across the road offering a similar service to the area’s community.

The dining room of the Sulby Glen Hotel has been transformed into a one-stop shop for customers in the village and surrounding areas.

The reborn Sulby Stores has the full-backing of Graham Garrett, who reluctantly closed the shop on the opposite side of the crossroads that was run by himself and former owner, the late Raymond Caley, for more than half-a-century.

With her public house, hotel and popular eatery closed for the foreseeable future in accordance with the coronavirus restrictions, owner and proprietor Rosie Christian said she had to do something as she was going stir crazy.

After more than 30 years running the largest and arguably the busiest rural establishment in the north of the island, she admitted that she had rapidly become bored by day-to-day life in lockdown.

’Most of all I wanted to provide a vital service to the villagers and residents in the close proximity to their homes in these trying and difficult times,’ she said.

The pop-up shop - the idea of her multiple TT and MGP-winning son Daniel Sayle - provides everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to a full selection of daily and local newspapers.

A couple of the large refrigerator units from the original Sulby Stores have been borrowed to display milk, cheese, butter, yogurts and other creamery products.

Daily deliveries of Ramsey Bakery bread are proving popular with customers, plus a variety of tinned foods (including those for pets), bathroom necessities and much more is stocked.

Making use of the hotel’s extensive catering facilities, the Sulby Glen outlet is also able to provide a meals-on-wheels service by telephone order - based on the regular menu.

The designated delivery drivers are fully insured and authorised under the current restrictions.

For those looking for a quick meal to buy during their daily shop, home-made cottage pies, fish pies and hot pots are readily available to take away and simply heat up in the microwave.

To go with it, cartons of draught beer, lager and Guinness can be bought, along with a variety of wines.

The new Sulby Stores in the Sulby Glen Hotel is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm Sundays.