Long awaited community shop set to open

The shop in Hampstead Norreys will finally open its doors for the first time today (Saturday)

THE EXCITEMENT in Hampstead Norreys has reached fever pitch as the long awaited community shop finally gets ready to open its doors for the first time today (Saturday).

Staff, both volunteers and the shop's full-time manager, Julie Bassett, were taking deliveries, stacking shelves and generally getting everything ready for the big day earlier this week.

The grand opening will be a festive affair, with bunting and balloons already deployed.

The village's longest standing resident and its youngest school-going resident will cut the ribbon. Their names are being kept secret until today.

The shop, owned and run by the community itself, has been more than four years in the making and more than half of the residents of the village, 450 out of 800, have bought shares, with each paying £10 per share.

One of the members of the shop committee, George Greenham, said: “We view our goal as providing a service for the community, so as far as possible we will try to satisfy the community's needs.”

Far from just being a local corner store, the village shop will offer a myriad of services, including dry cleaning, key cutting, shoe repair, a prescription drop off service, a coffee area and much more.