Brent Knoll’s ’emergency shop’ is set to remain open throughout July, it has been announced this week.
The Brent Knoll Community Shop Steering Group confirmed the news to villagers last night (Thursday).
The group has applied to become a Community Benefit Society, with the aim of creating a permanent Community Shop and restoring the village Post Office.
The ’emergency shop’ opened in response to the Covid-19 crisis and has proved to be such a success that it will now remain open for a third month.
Following the success of the recent ‘Brent Knoll Isolation Bake-Off’ day in May, when many villagers baked cakes and made jam to raise £200 for the community shop’s funds, the next event will be an ‘Ice Cream and Coffee Day’ on Saturday 27th June.
On that day, when the shop will be open from 9am to 4.30pm, the shop forecourt will host buskers, a professional barista, and the award-winning maker of Delphini’s ice-creams, who will also be serving milkshakes.
“This is our way of creating a social occasion with social-distancing,” said David Sturgess, a member of the Brent Knoll Community Shop Steering Group.
“We’ve seen how our customers and our volunteers have enjoyed the social contact – albeit at six feet distance – that our shop has provided.”
The Brent Knoll team of volunteers will be running a trial event on Saturday 20th June, with speciality teas and coffees, ahead of the main event.
