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Discover Local Produce with Hampshire Fare
Support Your Village Store
The village shop is a local asset, therefore shopping at your village store is an investment in the community as much as a convenience. Their value was realised in lockdown when village shops experienced a massive uplift in use. However, inflation has since created a difficult trading environment.
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Run By the Community for the Community
Village shops can’t compete with the big supermarkets on price, yet they offer more in terms of social value. Many are community-run enterprises, run on a not for profit basis and dependent on volunteers. One such is Headley Community Shop. When the old village shop could no longer be run profitably on a commercial basis, it was taken over by the Headley with Ashford Hill Community Shop Association and relocated to an old Baptist chapel, converted to provide a shop, post office and a room for community purposes.
Peter Hemmings of Headley Community Shop, explains: “The shop and post office together with the community room acts as a hub for the village which over the years has lost its school and pub.
“As well as being a useful ‘corner store’ for everyday items, we operate a large paper round. Income from the paper round is our mainstay. Income from the post office is finely balanced. The shop income subsidises the post office, although it can be argued that the post office increases footfall.”
The shop also supports the local economy, stocking many local items, mostly Hampshire Fare members, from apple juice to mint chocolates. Meanwhile the community room has a social programme that includes village lunches, afternoon cafés and art classes.
The shop is run by a management committee and employs six staff, although it couldn’t operate without its volunteers. One recruit says: “I enjoy my time helping in the shop; it has given me the opportunity to become much more familiar with the community and its personalities. New customers frequently comment about what a lovely shop it is and the friendly atmosphere.”
Investing in Your Community
Lara Madge is the shop and café manager for The Boundary, previously known more prosaically as St Mary Bourne Village Shop. Lara explains: “We have been a community-run village shop for the last 21 years. I took over the shop in 2017. Back then it was a typical community-run shop focusing on the budget end of the market. I introduced more local produce and some luxury items while keeping the bargain products. The shop grew in popularity and we started to turn a profit.
“In March 2020 when we went into lockdown our sales doubled overnight. It was our time to shine. We started doing home deliveries, maintained regular contact with anyone living on their own, and supplied food bags every now and then to let people know we were there for them.
“But now sales have dropped to their previous levels, which is why we decided to up our game to the community, and build an extension incorporating a café and eco-shop, in response to listening to customers talking about what they wanted. We recognised there was an opportunity to grow our services.
“At the beginning of 2022, we started a fundraising campaign. We changed from a Community Interest Company to a Community Benefit Society and opened up a community share offer scheme at £25 a share, raising £250,000 in six weeks!”
Work started in July with the new shop and café opening in December 2022.
“We have been amazed by the community support during the build. Kong Scaffolding, owned by someone in the village, donated all the scaffolding and Freedom Bespoke, a local door and window company, gifted us all the windows and doors, including installation.
“While we are nervous about expanding the business at such a difficult economic time, raising that money on a community share scheme pressure tested whether the community actually wanted the village store. I have no doubt it is going to be an uphill struggle to keep it profitable, but it is all about the community.”
Credit: Burlison Photography
Credit: Burlison Photography
Services to the Community
Enham Village Store and Post Office was taken over by Leslie and Tim Francis 20 years ago and they’ve been collecting awards ever since, with the latest seeing Leslie receive an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List! Leslie, who is also Chair of the Parish Council, was recognised for her service to her local community.
Nick Read, Post Office Chief Executive, said: “Leslie and Tim go above and beyond for their community, adapting their store to make it easier for their customers who are elderly or disabled, arranging home deliveries, fundraising and putting on big celebrations for the village for special occasions.”
When they took it over the store was very run down, but now it’s a modern, fully stocked shop with an active post office and offers as many local products as they can find.
Leslie reflects: “It really is the hub of this community and is a lifeline for many. We always support local producers and encourage small businesses by profiling their goods.”
During lockdown turnover more than doubled, but has now returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, determined to deliver more to the community this year they are revamping part of the store and expanding some lines including ‘free from’ ranges. They are also reintroducing events such as tastings, fun Fridays, seasonal raffles and outdoor markets.
Everton Stores and Post Office has been run by Barrie and Carole Morgan since 2016. The main initiative they introduced was increasing the stock significantly including stocking over 30 local suppliers. This has resulted in greater footfall as well as customers coming from a wider area.
Barrie says: “We stock local meats, fruit in season, Isle of Wight tomatoes, Garlic Farm products, New Forest Shortbread, ice cream, local bakery goods, eggs, and fudge to name just a few.
“The village store is an essential part of the community and, following lockdowns, we have continued to deliver to some of our elderly customers who are not able to get out and about.”
Sourcing & Stocking Local
Cheriton Village Store and Post Office has been managed by Gillian Gray-Knight for 14 years as a community asset. Essential services include an outreach post office, prescription collection point and ticket sales for local events, in addition to newspapers. Local produce is stocked whenever possible and includes Bramley Bakery, Lyburn cheeses, meat and pies from CE Evans & Son butchers, and honey from village beekeepers.
Gillian adds: “We also, with the church and the village hall, collaborate to stock and run the weekly Café on the Green on Thursday mornings.”
Chilbolton Village Shop incorporates its own tea room. Owner Nicky Bond says: “Since we took on the shop in December 2015 the business has changed hugely. In particular we have grown our own homecooked range, producing more in-house through ‘Nicky’s Kitchen on the Test’.
We are very lucky to be in a lovely community and many customers have become our friends. I believe the shop to be of great value to the community. We have prescriptions delivered here, we are a collection point for the much needed local food bank, and we continue to deliver to several customers, as we did during the pandemic. The post office is also an asset. In general, we’re a meeting point where customers can be sure of a warm welcome.
If we can source it locally, we will. I still find it remarkable that Hampshire produces so many fine foods right on our doorstep, and we are very proud to stock produce from many of them, including smoked trout by ChalkStream, local meats from Greenfield Pork, ales by Goddards Brewery and Andwell Brewery, gin by Wessex Spirits, wines by Black Chalk, coffee from Moon Roast, mint chocolates by Summerdown, free range eggs from Fluffetts Farm, teas from New Forest Tea Company, souffles thanks to Red Fox Fine Foods, preserves from The Real Jam & Chutney Company, spelt flour grown by Wheatsheaf Farming and micro greens from Lusso Leaf. We have forged great partnerships with so many Hampshire businesses!”
You can also find local at Southern Co-op stores: at the heart of their communities and committed to supporting local initiatives and charities. Find your local Southern Co-op on pages 20-22
