A VILLAGE pub is providing a 'warm space' for those in need as the cost of living soars.

The Bird in Bush pub, in Elsdon, is offering free wifi, a hot drink and a hot shower at no charge.

Jackie Sewell, owner of the pub, said: "It's just to try and make life a little bit easier for everybody in this difficult climate.

"I think people are afraid to say they've got a problem, so let's make it open house.

"People don't want to put their heating on and can't afford to pay the bills, so I just thought what can we do to help?"

Jackie added she was "quite surprised at the amount of response" she received after posting about the offer on social media.

"It just shows what kind of a problem there is out there," she said.

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Northumberland County Council has recently announced the likes of leisure centres and libraries will be opened to create a network to support communities this winter.

The council has teamed up with partners in the community and voluntary sector and is also inviting more organisations to sign up to what is being called the Northumberland Warm Spaces and Places Promise.

Community Action Northumberland (CAN) has been developing so-called warm hubs for a number of years, but it is now hoped that the likes of community hubs, leisure centres, village halls, businesses and cafes will get on board.

"I think that's great," Jackie said of the network. "I think we should all be doing our bit. When Covid started, everybody was kind and nice to each other, and that sort of disappeared a bit. Let's be kind again."

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Jackie said she has received lots of support since purchasing the pub earlier this year.

"The local people are just lovely, the parish council, the county council - without exception, everybody has been really supportive," she said.

"Most days are really busy. We did start saying that we'd close on a Monday, but we're open then as well because of the demand.

"I don't know what it will be like in the winter, it will be very different for people under this uncertainty.

"I just hope we can keep paying our bills so we can offer the service."