ABOUT US
Slapton Village Community Shop...
Slapton Village Community Shop opened on Saturday 3rd February 2018, replacing the former independent shop in the village which closed at the end of January 2018, upon the retirement of the owners Ron and Dale Higgins.
The new Community Shop is currently located at the end of the Village Hall car park in Wood Lane, near Slapton Ley Field Centre. The shop will remain here for a period of approximately two years until a permanent site can be secured and a new structure built.
Many thanks must go to the work of the original steering group.
Fifteen villagers organised the efforts to raise funds, which amounted to nearly £30,000, mostly donated from within the community; to locating a site, sourcing the temporary wooden building which we now use and, with volunteered help, to ensuring that the shop was fitted out, stocked and ready to open on time. It was quite a task!
What we offer...
The shop is open seven days a week, from 8.00am to 6.00pm from Monday to Saturday and from 8.00am to 12.00pm on Sunday.
Bank holiday opening times may vary according to the season; hours will be posted at the shop, on Facebook and on this website.
Since opening, we have been going from strength to strength. We have a large range of stock which we continue to expand to include many local products and fulfill where practical, given the limitations for storing some items, the requests of our customers.
We also offer fruit and veg contributed, when available, from the villagers’ gardens. The money that customers donate for this produce brings a welcome addition to our Slapton Shop collection box.
Developments so far...
Thanks to a grant from South Hams District Council, we have been able to install much needed air-conditioning and a new fridge which allows an increased stock of milk and dairy products, cheese, sandwiches and local meat plus other meat pastries and products.
The deli fridge inherited from the old shop, which was kindly donated by Ron and Dale, is now stocked with green vegetables, salad and fruit, a huge improvement and a great success.
Lastly, the grant stretched to a new drinks chiller, essential when the spectacular heatwave of summer 2018 brought about the demise of the old one.
Another success was achieving second place in the Tesco “Bags of Help” Appeal. The money we were awarded was used to buy a coffee machine, sun awning and a cafe table and two chairs at which to sit in the shade to chat or check your emails on our free WiFi.
Community Shop Facts
A national report “Community Shops: A Better Form of Business” (05/07/2017) stated that “community shops are a lifeline for rural villages and surrounding areas”.
They provide much more than everyday essentials and can contribute to community life in many ways, such as:
- Generating jobs, training and volunteer involvement, so improving and fostering community spirit. improving community wellbeing and safety; promoting and supporting local tourism.
- 43% of community shops have some form of café, providing a social hub for hosting or advertising art and cultural activities.
- Many stock local produce and operate, as far as is feasible, a green policy.
- 73% of community shops surveyed said that they actively addressed the health care and wellbeing of customers in various ways.
To give an example, one Slapton resident who felt unable to leave the house unaccompanied, now visits the shop every day by herself and feels that she has regained her independence as a result.
Slapton Village Community Shop looks forward to welcoming you!
Now that you know a little about the strength of the community shop ethos in general, the management committee, manager and volunteer staff of Slapton Village Community Shop look forward to welcoming you now and long into the future.
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