1st February 2012

BROADWINDSOR: Village pub to reopen

Plans in pipeline for new community shop too

By Paul Crompton

A PUB and a shop are set to open in Broadwindsor months after both services closed.

The White Lion is set to open at the end of this month after the landlord and landlady of the Admiral Hood at Mosterton took on the pub.

Martin and Karen Helyar are set to throw open the doors on February 23rd.

Plans are also underway to run a temporary shop in Comrades Hall, six months after Broadwindsor Stores closed.

Residents gave the thumbs up to opening a shop in the village hall during a meeting attended by 60 people last Thursday.

The latest move comes after the Save our Broadwindsor Shop (SOBS) group was set up to look at opening a community shop to serve the village and surrounding area.

Plans for a temporary shop follow bids to buy the old Broadwindsor Stores by an industrial and provident society (IPS) – an organisation of concerned residents and businesses - being turned down by the owner.

Fraser Hughes, SOBS chairman and Broadwindsor parish councillor, said: “We all agree that the best place for a shop is in the current premises, right in the heart of Broadwindsor.

“However, we have made two offers based on an independent valuation, which have been rejected by the owner. So we needed to come up with another option so we can get a shop up and running again in the village.

“A facility like this is vital to the community, not only as a place to buy provisions but also as a social point of contact. We miss our shop and we want it back.”

This view was supported by the results of the recent Parish Plan where 100 per cent of Broadwindsor residents who replied to the questionnaire indicated they wanted a village shop, said Mr Fraser.

The eight strong SOBS committee has visited shops and taken advice from the Plunkett Foundation, a charity which promotes and supports co-operatives and social enterprises in rural communities.

The Plunkett organisation report for 2011 showed there were 271 community owned shops in the country – included the successful Thorncombe store.

Success rate of this type of store is higher than owner run shops, with only four per cent failing to survive.

The SOBS committee will now talk to planners and the Comrades Hall committee to see if opening a shop in the hall is feasible.

A letter asking residents for their views on the plans is now due to circulated by SOBS

Jacqui Sewell, district councillor for the Broadwindsor area, said unfortunately the temporary shop seemed to be the only route open to the community.

She said: “We would like to see the permanent solution as Broadwindsor Stores, and anyone who comes along to buy it would have the overwhelming encouragement and support from the committee and the community.”

BROADWINDSOR: Village pub to reopen

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