Volunteers who run Brent Knoll community shop say their plans to move from a temporary Portakabin into a new purpose-built building have been given a boost by the closure of a local petrol station.
As reported here, Brent Knoll’s petrol station on the A38 closed down at the end of December 2022 when its lease ended.
Now, operator BWOC has helped the community shop team by donating them fixtures and fittings from its former Spar shop.
It comes just a few months after plans were approved to build a new Brent Knoll village shop by demolishing the public toilets block adjacent to Brent Knoll Parish Hall in Brent Street, thereby allowing the removal of the Portakabin which houses the temporary shop.
The shop’s David Sturgess said this week: “The closure of the BWOC garage and Spar shop – our nearest competitor – has been a double blessing for Brent Knoll’s Community Shop.”
“Many customers have now switched their newspaper orders to our shop, and BWOC have been hugely generous in donating shelving, fixtures, and other items that we’ll need for the new shop building being planned by our Parish Council.”
“A team of shop volunteers has worked with BWOC to remove and store all the many items that they have donated – ready for installation in the planned new shop building.”
“A recent meeting between the Parish Council and the Community Shop, with our respective lawyers, was hugely positive. We are very lucky that one of the country’s national law firms, Clarke Willmott, has agreed to represent us on a pro-bono basis.”
“We now await the Parish Council’s confirmed proposals on rent and lease-terms – and the draft lease agreement that the law firms will draft.”
“Our sponsors, The Plunkett Foundation, have helped us to find a Weston-super-Mare based recommended shop-fitting specialist. Once we receive a copy of the tender-pack being sent to potential contractors for the demolition of the public toilets and construction of the new toilets and shop, they will be able to provide us with the required fit-out plan.”
“Meanwhile, the shop continues to provide a vital community service to our village. The next get-together “sausage sizzler” will be held on Saturday 25th March from 10am to 12 noon at the Parish Hall.”
“Our greatest need, however, is for more volunteers to join our team. This will enable us to expand our opening hours. We need people who can spare an hour or two in the afternoons of Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays: full training will be provided.”
“We also need volunteers who’re happy to spend the odd hour in checking the ‘best-before’ dates on the items on our shelves. There is no better way of becoming part of the community.”
