Hope for vital new shop in Teign Valley

Residents of the Teign Valley in Devon are uniting to reinstate a crucial service to their village with the launch of a community shop project. 

This initiative follows the closure of Christow’s last remaining shop and Post Office in May 2023, leaving the village without a local retail outlet.

A group of locals is now leading efforts to establish a new community-owned shop to serve Christow and the surrounding villages.

To kickstart the project, the committee aims to raise £60,000 through a mix of community shares, grants, donations, and fundraising activities. 

The community share offer, which opened this week (week of June 24), invites residents and supporters to invest in the project. 

The local parish council is also backing the initiative.

If the target is met, phase one will involve transforming a wooden-clad shipping container into the not-for-profit shop, potentially within four months. 

The shop will employ a part-time manager and rely on volunteer support.

Located on part of the village car park near the Teign Valley Community Hall and the B3193 valley road, the shop will offer essential goods, support local producers, and act as a social hub.

Plans also include extended opening hours and a small café area.

The push for the new shop follows a 2023 community survey that showed overwhelming support, with 97 percent of respondents deeming a village shop as important or very important.

Consequently, a steering committee was formed under the Christow Community Land Trust, which has previously helped deliver 18 Passivhaus affordable homes to the village.

Iain Wilson, chair of the steering committee, said: “Losing our last shop has been a real blow, particularly for our older residents and those without easy access to transport. This project is about more than just convenience - it's about strengthening our community and ensuring Christow remains a vibrant place to live. We’ve had a fantastic response, including at launch events held over the weekend. Now we’re hoping enough people will get behind this incredible community effort, to make it a reality.”

The initial shop, clad in locally sourced wood, will be housed in a converted shipping container, with plans for a purpose-built structure in the future if the venture proves successful. 

This model has successfully kickstarted community shop projects in other parts of Devon and beyond. 

Currently, the nearest alternative shops are four to ten miles away.

Shares are priced at £1, with a minimum purchase of 20. 

Additionally, income tax payers buying at least £300 of shares qualify for 50 percent tax relief.

To date, grants and donations totaling £13,800 have been received from organisations including the Teign Valley Farmers’ Market, Devon County Council Growing Communities Fund, The Norman Family Trust, and Christow Community Land Trust.

A further £16,800 has been pledged by prospective community shareholders.

This initiative follows closely on the heels of the nearby Drewe Arms in Drewsteignton reopening after being bought by the community, becoming the most successful community pub crowdfunder in the country.

Torie Hitchings, committee secretary, said: “By investing in community shares, people can play a direct role in bringing this vital service back to Christow and the surrounding area. It's an opportunity for everyone to have a stake in the future of our village.”