Community First supports independent and village retailers throughout Wiltshire and Swindon. In Wiltshire as is the case across the country, independent retailers find it increasingly difficult to maintain their shop services in the face of increasing trading pressures from larger grocery chains, economic variables, and the adverse impacts of changes in the patterns of demographics, transport and lifestyles in rural communities. One in five households in Wiltshire has no access to a car and the village shop is a vital local and accessible service resource for the elderly, the mobility impaired and the wider local community. Village shops also play a vital role in community social cohesion and as a local information centre.

Community First provides proactive and expert support to village shop retailers and offers practical business support and advice to help retailers improve and sustain the viability of their shops. This involves working with local shops and the communities they serve to explore and develop new solutions to rural retailing needs. We have been engaged nationally and locally with the Post Office Closure programme and continue to campaign on a local and regional level promoting positive policy changes to support the sector.

As well as supporting villages with shops, Community First supports the establishment of Community Shops (volunteer led shops) and Social Enterprises. Through research we identify and then work proactively with rural communities to set up these community based solutions, helping to build a stronger and more sustainable community. Wiltshire has ten community shops trading successfully with volunteer support and many more communities are at various stages of setup.  
If you are a retailer looking for support or a Community Group looking to provide a retail solution for your community please contact Tim Coomer – Rural Enterprise Adviser

The Village Shop's work is sponsored by Wiltshire County Council, West Wiltshire, North Wiltshire, Salisbury and Kennet District Councils.

Store is the Core

Store is the Core is a regional pilot programme running from Sept 2007 – Oct 2008 offering professional advice to village and community retailers.  The objective ‘to improve retail skills, diversify their businesses, and help secure their viability for the future’.  The ultimate objective is to maintain an essential resource for the rural community.

The programme is led by Community First in partnership with ViRSA (Village Retail Services Association) and supported by the Rural Shops Alliance and SWAN (South West ACRE Network).

As well as professional advice, grants of up to £5,000 were available to retailers to assist with the purchase of new equipment, ‘make over’ the shop, or a variety of other options tailored to the specific needs of retailers.  The programme has also assisted communities in the South West who had already lost their village shop to open a volunteer community-led community shop enterprise.  The programme supported these communities with advice from a pool of specialist consultants and a grant of up to £20,000.

The Store is the Core pilot has now closed for applications. We have supported 58 retailers across the South West and been engaged in the set-up of 20 community shops. The programme is investing over £80,000 into village shops and over £100,000 into emerging Community Shops. Great efforts are being made to secure funding for the future with the hope of supporting many more retailers in the future. For more information contact Tim Coomer or visit www.storeisthecore.org.uk 

The Store is the Core Programme is funded by the South West Regional Development Agency

A good practice guide to ‘Running a Village Shop 2008 and Beyond’ is available from the Store is the Core programme please contact Tim Coomer for a FREE copy.


Tim Coomer
Rural Enterprise Adviser
Email: tcoomer@communityfirst.org.uk



Follow this link to download the six month progress report - October 2008. (PDF File - 289kb)