Mells Village Shop
Community owned Mells Village Shop, refurbished and restocked following a successful fundraising campaign, was officially opened by Kevin McCloud in May 2009 and is quickly establishing itself at the heart of Mells and the surrounding villages.
It is staffed by a mix of paid employees and enthusiastic volunteers and stocks a wide range of useful household items, groceries, greeting cards, stationery, gifts and souvenirs, frozen food, ice cream, soft drinks, locally made ready meals, confectionary, cigarettes and tobacco, newspapers and magazines, wines and spirits. Local produce, such as free range eggs, Hobbs House bread, Ivy House dairy produce and Gilcombe Farm Shop fresh meat, is a speciality.
Thanks to a number of community grants, a 20 seater oak and stone coffee shop serving all day drinks, snacks and light meals is currently nearing completion and will be open for business by Easter 2011. A small terrace with benches looks out over the Lutyens designed Horner Memorial and the duck pond opposite where more seating is available. The Coffee Shop will be available for small parties, meetings and community based activities out of hours and is intended to serve as a social hub for the whole locality.