A SESSION on the internet and a pint will soon become reality at a North Yorkshire village pub.

Owners have transformed an old store room to create an internet pop-in shop for regulars and villagers. Six computers have been installed in the on-line room at the Crown Inn, Grewelthorpe, near Ripon.

Soon customers will be surfing the net and ordering their pints or evening meals next door.

The project has been spearheaded by Ripon College as part of its strategy to help communities increase learning skills on their doorstep.

College community development manager, Mandy Whitehead, said: "Basically we are taking computers to the people of Grewelthorpe and removing the problems they have in rural communities of simply getting to the college. Some people just would not want to come here and sit behind a desk to learn about computers or use them. But we think the project will prove very popular in the village."

Landlady Katherine Furmidge and her partner Steve Kennedy have won praise from the college for welcoming the idea and providing the accommodation.

Mrs Furmidge said: "The room which has been converted was once the village butcher's shop. But that closed down many years ago and we have just used it for storage. We're delighted it will soon be used to bring the internet to the community."

Mrs Furmidge, who is keen to ensure that the pub is at the hub of the community, said the room would be monitored by closed circuit television.

"It will provide an ideal facility for everyone from eight to 80. The old room had simply become a complete waste of space, but now it is set to take on a much more exciting role," she said.

Locals can soon take advantage of lessons on how to use the computer. Two days a week a tutor from Ripon College based in Clotherholme Road will travel to Grewelthorpe to dispense the latest in IT tips.

The scheme, which has been backed by North Yorkshire County Council, is being funded by UK on Line, supported by the Government.

They have paid for the computers, refurbishment of the room and the tutor, and will also foot the bill for on-line time.

As part of the partnership the pub has provided what many locals see as the ideal venue in a village which recently lost its post office, has a patchy bus service, no village hall and has been without a village shop for years.

The project is almost ready to roll and an official launch is planned soon.

Drop in computer facilities have also been provided by the college project at Ripon's Ship Inn, Bondgate. Others are near the Ripon College Youth Centre, Ripon Army Camp in the Yellow Ribbon Club used by military families, North Yorkshire Social Services office Sharow View, Ripon; Moorside School Learning Centre, Ripon, and at the city's YMCA in Water Skellgate.

Ripon Bowling Club in Boroughbridge Road has also joined the growing outreach project and six computers will be on offer in the county council's new library alongside Ripon bus station