Couple's hard work as they celebrate second birthday

It was the need to find a new bakery for her Linda's Loaf business that brought a village shop back to Chewton Mendip.

Yesterday saw the shop celebrate its second anniversary.

Linda Ireson was looking for a new site for her business at the same time her husband Peter was made redundant.

The pair decided to join forces and reopen the village shop.

Peter, formerly a senior construction manager, used his skills to systematically yet sympathetically convert the premises.

The old shop was gutted and the features from the Victorian shop and the 17th century cottage it adjoins were brought to the fore, recycling some of the old materials where possible and allowing the public to see through big glass windows into the bakery itself. It means that the shop gets fresh specialist bread throughout the day – every day.

Linda has been baking bread since the early 1990s and experimented with a few ingredients.

Soon she was supplying loaves to a shop in Glastonbury but gradually it expanded.

"I was interested in diet and nutrition so decided to experiment with new flavours and tastes that could be used in the bread.

"The honey and chamomile bread and the oaty almond bread is just as popular today as it was back then," she said.

Over the last few years Linda has concentrated on baking for events such as the Glastonbury Festival.

But her popularity meant she was forced to expand and it was that search that prompted the couple to take on the village shop.

Since then it has become a true community resource, and not just providing residents with a shop facility.

Classes from the village primary school regularly visit to learn the art of bread-baking.

Linda and Peter also enthusiastically signed up to have adults with learning difficulties helping out in the shop, giving valuable work experience to people who may otherwise not receive any.

"It's been a brilliant experience," she said.

"It is hard work, we are open from 7am to 5.30pm every day apart from Sunday when we close at 2pm.

"If I'm baking for some events then I'll be here from 4am.

"For the Glastonbury Festival, we work through the night.

"But you have to, if you're in business. You have to do what the customer wants."

It's now a real family affair for Linda, who is not only supported by her husband Peter but also by her 21-year-old daughter Verity and 18-year-old daughter Aaron.

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