AN OLD fashioned pub at the heart of a village has been brought into the 21st Century.

Free wireless internet access and a new card payment machine have been installed at the Chequers Inn in The Street, Doddington.

New landlady Josie Howe, who took over the Shepherd and Neame pub in November, introduced the facilities to the 14th Century listed building to make life easier for customers.

It means people can now pay by card and receive cashback while travelling businessmen and women can carry on working if they pop in for a bite to eat or a quick drink.

Josie, originally from Stoke-on-Trent, said: “We’re in the middle of nowhere so by introducing a card payment and cash back facility we’re saving customers an eight mile round trip to Teynham [to the nearest cashpoint].

“We also get a lot of rambler and cyclists and tourists. They’d often ask if they could pay by card and we had to say no, now we don’t have to.”

With its oak timbers, mullion windows and inglenook fireplace it oozes history, but what many outsiders may not realise is that every Tuesday between 1pm and 3pm the restaurant area is transformed in to a mobile Post Office.

The service was started seven years ago following the closure of the village branch.

Subpostmaster Andrew Puxted, of Challock Post Office near Ashford, runs the business using a mobile computer connected to a phone line.

Mr Puxted said: “Customers can post parcels and letters, buy stamps, pension withdrawals and even order foreign currency. We can’t do road tax discs or the check and send passport service.”

Josie said: “It is unusual but the villagers are pleased it is here.”