Still time to support village shop campaign

THERE is still time to support plans for a new village shop in Whitley.

The fundraising campaign led by Shaw and Whitley Community Hub, which has campaigned for the past year to save the village shop, hopes to raise at least £24,000 by the end of June by selling ‘community shares’ in the ‘community benefit society’. 

So far the campaign has raised £5,360 – and if successful, they hope to open their community village shop, called Whitley Stores, over the summer. 

“The deadline for investments is 30th June, and if we reach our target with sufficient investment to progress, we’re hoping that we will be able to open over the summer,” said Alison Candlin from the group. 

“So, don’t forget to get your application forms in!” 

The campaign to save the village shop on Top Lane in Whitley, which closed last year after the first Covid-19 lockdown, was given a boost earlier this month when Barbastelle Bikes, the new owners of the building that formerly housed the shop and Post Office, offered the Shaw and Whitley Community Hub space within their premises to run their community village shop. 

The plan is for ‘Whitley Stores’ to occupy one side of the building, sharing space with Spindles Bikes, who will run a coffee shop, and Barbastelle Bikes – a bespoke bicycle building business. 

Alison said, “Whitley Stores will be owned, run and staffed by Shaw and Whitley Community Hub, a community benefit society that will be financed and operated through the sale of community shares, so that the shop is both owned and run by the community for the community.” 

Local MP Michelle Donelan has also lent her support to the campaign, paying a visit to the Shaw and Whitley Community Hub’s stall at the recent Atworth Artisan Market. 

To find out more about the ‘community shares’ offer – which is open to anyone, and not exclusive to villagers – visit the Shaw and whitleycommunityhub.com