A MUCH-needed village shop has opened its doors in Norton Lindsey.
The shop has come about thanks to the hard work and generous donations of the local community.
And it is the second time people power has secured a vital asset for the village.
The shop was identified as a vital need back in 2016 following a successful campaign to save the village pub – The New Inn.
When the pub faced closure the villagers rallied together and formed the New Inn Committee to raise enough cash to keep the pints flowing.
The New Inn – originally established in 1750 – was to be closed and put up for sale but residents pulled together to ensure ‘the heart of the village’ was saved from almost certain residential development. In December 2016 through local fundraising, crowd-funding and grants, they raised £350,000 and secured the pub’s freehold for the community.
But far from resting on their laurels, the villagers decided to continue to secure funds and grants to develop the other needs identified by residents.
A grand total of £90,000 has since been raised to set up the shop thanks to donations from Warwick District Council, Pub is the Hub, Norton Lindsey Parish Council, The Seccombe Trust, The Stilton Sniffers and a number of village benefactors.
Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western, Warwick’s town crier and other key donors were some of the first customers through the doors at an official opening ceremony on Friday (June 9).
Dev Keshavala, who also owns the Snitterfield Stores will be running the shop.
Dev said: “We are delighted to be working with the Norton Lindsey Community Pub Committee to provide a shop in the village. We look forward to meeting everyone and understanding what items people from the community and further afield would like to buy. We know some of the villagers already from our Snitterfield store and will ensure their favourite treats will be available here too.”
Quentin Hayes, Chair of the New Inn Committee, added: “A shop has always been seen as a vital addition to our village, as it was identified as a need when we initially consulted with the village residents back in 2016, when we started the initiative to save our pub.
“We are thrilled to have Dev and his family on board to run the shop, with their experience in retail and our combined willingness to see this a success. We have no doubt the local residents of Norton Lindsey will support this new initiative, as they have since the pub opened, and we hope many people choose to combine a purchase with a pint.”
