Ashton Keynes
This Community Shop Association has been set up in record time! The community came together to take on the running of the existing village shop when the current owners announced their impending retirement. The community set up a committee, consulted the wider community and registered an IPS Ben Com. The current shop owners have given the community association a 6 months lease on the shop which is attached to their living accomodation. In the meantime, the community are progressing with fundraising efforts and securing planning permission for an extension to the Village Hall from which to set up a new shop.
September 2010: MP James Gray visits Ashton Keynes Village Shop:
"...I was delighted to visit Ashton Keynes Village Shop - an excellent example of 'Big Society' in action. Face with the imminent closure of their village shop, local residents Dave Sheppard and Guy Bridge launched a campaign to save this vital community lifeline." said North Wiltshire MP James Gray.
"I would therefore like to congratulate all the volunteers who have contributed to the project so far, and I am glad that everyone in the area will benefit from their hard work as any profit the shop makes will be invested back in the village."
From http://www.jamesgray.org/latest-news/mp-visits-ashton-keynes-village-shop