Community shops work
Recent decades have seen the remorseless erosion of local shops, both in urban areas and particularly in rural communities. Where once small villages like Rushlake Green had several shops and local businesses, these have gradually dwindled to just one shop, and in the case of surrounding villages none at all. This can be attributed largely to wider mobility, more sophisticated buying habits and an increasing dependence on supermarkets.
However, as the trend of small shop closures, aided by the Sub Post Office reduction program, continues there is one way in which small shops are consistently finding a second life and that is as a community shop. Where others struggle and die, community shops seem to be able to flourish and grow.
And ironically these small shop closures may eventually prove to have been a costly short-term mistake for the local communities concerned. As carbon footprint, fuel costs and quality of life become more important, it may soon become evident that shopping local is actually a better option for much of the time. Particularly when provided by a new generation of enlightened small retailers that can out-do the multiples through fresher, more responsive, more local, more interesting products and produce and through vastly superior personal customer service.
What it is
There are now over 180 community shops or stores throughout the UK fulfilling the need for a shop in local, usually rurally based communities. In essence a community shop is one run by the community for the community providing not only essential groceries and products but also services to different members of the community that would otherwise be unavailable. It provides a focal point that engenders community spirit. It should also have a strong emphasis on viability through identifying and meeting local needs to make it a thriving business and meeting place thus ensuring it continues long into the future to support and bind the community.
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Why it works
The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the very fact that a shop becomes a community shop seems to boost its chances of survival and growth. People feel more responsible for making it work. Local customers are more likely to provide ideas for making it a success, feel more loyal to it and are more assiduous in recommending it to friends and acquaintances. What’s more, the way community shops operate is strongly driven by a desire to respond to local needs – this is frequently expressed in more customer-friendly opening hours, a more responsive product range and an active desire to maintain a dialogue with the community – through personal contact, newsletters and online communications.
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Where it’s worked
Etchingham Community Shop
The community venture came into existence when the previous shop was taken over by an owner who was not able to sustain the business as a going concern. Supported by the local Parish Council and contributions from residents, the shop Association was able to buy the business and build it into a successful community store. The purchase involved donations from the community in the form of shares, bonds, loans and gifts. To improve cash-flow they have introduced a novel ‘negative credit’ scheme where customers deposit a cash some and then use it up as they visit the store. It has all the convenience of credit but none of the disadvantages for the business – and customers like to feel they’re doing a bit more to support the shop.
Sulgrave Community Store in Northamptonshire
The 400 people of this small village decided that the presence of a shop and post office in the village was vital to the social welfare of the community. It took nearly two years to conceive, plan and carry out the restoration and conversion of a small listed building into a village shop at the heart of the community. They now work together as a cooperative venture, which is working remarkably well. They have 65 volunteers out of a village of around 160 houses, and the shop is open more often than many London establishments, seven days a week. This example proves that you don’t need a large catchment to make a small community shop a viable business.
Harting Village Shop in West Sussex
With their shopkeepers anxious to retire and no buyer in sight, villagers in Harting, West Sussex, set up ‘The Friends of Harting Stores’ backed by an action committee, broadly representing the community, to improve shop sales and demonstrate local support. But it became clear that no prospective shopkeeper could afford the purchase price of the premises and to have sufficient resources to run and develop the shop. The next step was to form a Village Shop Association which within a few months raised nearly £60,000 and enabled the Association to provide 40% of the cost of the premises and form a partnership with new shopkeepers. Eighteen months after the launch of the new shopkeepers are now installed in Harting Stores and their enterprise is already, within the first few weeks, producing substantially increased turnover. The successful completion of this venture has been achieved by generous support from across the community, over a third of whom have contributed; by the work of a truly representative management committee; and because the village recognises that the best hope of keeping their shop is to give their shopkeepers the opportunity to run a profitable business.
Radley Village Shop in Oxfordshire
Radley Village is an example of how a community shop can be popular and successful by providing products that are different from those offered by Supermarkets – in this case local products:
- The Soupery using fresh local produce
- Local free range eggs, chicken, fresh meat
- Bread freshly baked on the premises
- Oxford Wine Company
- Warburtons
- Robert Wiseman Dairies
- Q Gardens, Milton Hill, Harwell, Oxfordshire
- Wychwood Fine Foods
- The Old Farm Shop, Milton Hill, Harwell, Oxfordshire
- Frankie & Deano's homemade jams, chutneys and preserves
- Jude (cakes home-made in Radley)
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a membership and contribution form
Documents
Newsletters:
Posters:
Relevant links
www.virsa.org
www.acre.org.uk
www.berr.gov.uk
www.ruralsussex.org.uk
www.etchinghamstores.co.uk