Middleton Tyas has had a shop/post office for over 100 years. It used to be located next door to the Shoulder of Mutton public house. In 2003, when the then owners decided to sell the shop, the community set about creating a community shop of its own. With the support of the Memorial Hall Committee and Trustees, what had been the old Reading Room, attached to the Memorial Hall, was leased and converted into a shop and post office. The community raised £14,000 and, with the assistance of grants from Defra and the Countryside Agency, among others, the shop was opened in August 2004.

The shop and post office are run by two part-time paid staff and volunteers, who help in every conceivable way. A range of essential services is provided. As well as carrying as comprehensive a range of staples as can be squeezed into a small space, the shop sells newspapers and magazines, keeps a good selection of wines and specialises in locally made produce.

The shop stocks many locally produced items: from cakes made in Richmond and delivered by volunteers on a Thursday lunchtime; eggs laid in Gilling West; meats, fish and pies from Darlington; honey from Richmond and Middleton Tyas; and fruit and veg from Carricks.

The shop is always looking for more volunteers, so if you have any spare time and enjoy meeting and working with the public, come in and see what the shop needs! No previous experience necessary and full training given.