Business as usual again for community shop

The Ashford Hill with Headley shop and post office has moved to new premises in Thornford Road

IT WAS business as usual for the Ashford Hill with Headley shop and post office, following a long awaited move to new premises on Monday (Aug 14).

Following months of fundraising, staff and volunteers at Ashford Hill with Headley community shop and post office packed everything up at their former premises in Ashford Hill Road and moved it to nearby new premises within a vacant baptist church, in Thornford Road.

“The move went very well - four and a half days of very hard work by a lot of volunteers!” said Mary Bayly, spokeswoman for Ashford Hill with Headley Community Shop Association.

After packing everything in crates, items were gradually moved across, before a stock take, with a slight hiccup when installation of the alarm system was delayed from Thursday lunchtime until late Friday, which held up cleaning out of the new premises, with shelves stacked and final touches made on Sunday evening - just in time to re-open for newspaper deliveries at 5.30am on Monday morning.

Mrs Bayly added a “grateful thanks” to all those who helped with the removal, including storage and transport: “The building looks wonderful - a transformation from a sad neglected shell into a light, airy, welcoming space. We are very grateful to Greenham Common Trust who purchased it on our behalf,” she added.

Greenham Common Trust has backed the community project by charging a commercial rent, but providing the association with a grant to cover this cost.

Meanwhile, a question mark remains over the future of the vacated shop premises in Ashford Hill Road owned, according to Mrs Bayly, by Mike Sheridan and part of his house: “We still have the final clean of the old shop to complete, and that will be done before we hand back the keys. We don't know what will happen there,” said Mrs Bayly.

The telephone number for the post office and shop, which stocks local produce, remains the same - 01635 268849. Opening hours are 5.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 6.30am to 12.30pm Saturday and 6.30am to 9am Sunday.

A grand re-opening is planned at 2pm on September 17.