A pair of charities could open community supermarkets this year in response to increased food poverty in Great Yarmouth.

The proposal will be discussed next week (June 10) at a meeting of the borough council's housing and neighbourhoods committee, when it is expected that Shrublands Youth and Adult Centre in Gorleston and the Salvation Army in Great Yarmouth will be invited to prepare business plans and submit grant applications to open the proposed stores.

%image(14445960, type="article-full", alt="Great Yarmouth Borough Council imposed a condition on a bid to convert the Wheelwright Arms in Gorleston in order to "prevent the permanent loss of a community facility".")

A report prepared ahead of the meeting states that Great Yarmouth experienced the greatest number of food requests in the county during the coronavirus pandemic.

The community food stores would "address a need for a more accessible, long-term and sustainable solution for affordable food provision locally", it says.

The intention is to open the Shrublands Community Store this summer this year and the Great Yarmouth store in the autumn.

The charities would work with Town Hall and the Norfolk Community Foundation (NCF).