A YEAR ago a post office and shop in a North Yorkshire village was threatened with closure - until Jill Taylor saw its potential and bought it.

Three months later, following extensive renovation work, the rundown business in Welburn, near Malton, was re-launched as a delicatessen, village shop and post office - and double its original size.

Now it has been nominated for an award in the Evening Press Eat Local campaign.

The store has a policy of selling goods produced by local producers, including organic vegetables from Mrs Taylor's father's farm near Malton.

Fresh bread is available daily from a Norton bakery, and for people who don't have time to make their sandwiches in the morning, those are available too.

"I've never owned a business like this before, but when I saw the shop I saw its potential straight away," said Mrs Taylor.

"We have good support locally, but we are also well placed for tourist traffic visiting Castle Howard."

Home-baked cakes made by Mrs Taylor are also on offer, with a wide daily selection temptingly laid out.

"I'm delighted to hear we've been nominated. It makes the hard work worth it," she said.

The success and good work of the post office business has been recognised with a nomination in the Evening Press Eat Local Campaign. The campaign means that supporting North and East Yorkshire's the great food producers of York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding could not be easier.

All you have to do is nominate a producer or retailer in one of the following categories by filling out the coupon and returning it to the address shown, or you can email anastasia.weiner@ycp.co.uk

Producers - dairy; beef; lamb; pork; fish; poultry and game; fruit; vegetables; speciality foods; and beverages and drink.

Retailers - butchers and game dealers; bakers; grocers; greengrocers; fishmongers; delicatessens; cheesemongers; speciality foods; beverages and drinks.

Framed certificates will be awarded for the best in each of these categories. The Evening Press's ultimate Eat Local champion will be presented with a Yorkshire Agricultural Society trophy at a prestigious awards ceremony at next year's Great Yorkshire Show. Two runners-up will be presented with awards by the Evening Press.

The usual York & County Press competition rules apply. There is no cash alternative, the judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Updated: 10:12 Saturday, December 28, 2002