VILLAGES losing their shops and post offices are being offered advice and support on setting up independent co-operatives to continue the tradition of having a village store.
The end of last week saw the closure of the final two post offices in the Lancaster district current round of closures – at Kellet Road, Carnforth; and in Middleton.
ViRSA – the Village Retail Services Association – is on hand to give help and fun
ding to communities wishing to launch their own business.
Charlotte Foster, community retail advisor for ViRSA in the north west, said: "We offer funding, support and free advice to rural communities across Britain whose village shop or other retail service is threatened.
"Community ownership is often the only viable option for villages wishing to retain or introduce a local shop. The post office closure programme will definitely have an impact on communities – quite often if a post office closes then the shop that goes with it will close too, and that can cause problems for people in rural communities. That village shop is vital."
Burton-in-Lonsdale already has a successful village shop run by a co-operative, and Charlotte, who is originally from Kirkby Lonsdale, believes others may wish to follow their lead after the closure of so many post offices and village stores recently.
"There are now around 170 community-owned shops trading in Great Britain and our team of community retail advisors possess unique knowledge of rural shopkeeping and community development," she said.
n For more on ViRSA, contact Jez Newall on 01993 814371, go to the website at www.virsa.org or email virsa@plunkett.co.uk.
The full article contains 279 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
