East Boldre Community Stores shop set to be opened by former Dire Straits bassist John Illsley
EAST Boldre’s brand new community shop and post office will open its doors on Monday six years after a team of volunteers launched a project to retain the community facility.
The £700,000 community shop building, created on the site of a former Baptist church, will be officially opened at 10am on Monday by former Dire Straits bassist John Illsley, who lives nearby.
East Boldre Community Stores committee spokesperson Alison Moore-Gwyn said: “John is a very generous supporter of local businesses and of his community. He often popped into our previous village store, so when we asked him if he could open the new shop he readily agreed.”
“We want the official opening to be a real celebration event and festival day – but it will also be a trading day. We hope that the community will really feel invested in supporting the shop.”
As reported, a small and dedicated team of village residents led a project to buy the former church building on Chapel Lane, which has now been transformed into a community shop, post office and bicycle repair facility.
Sadly, the committee’s longstanding chair Nick Thompson passed away, just weeks before the official opening. EBCS spokesperson Rebecca Gabzdyl said: “We are all incredibly saddened by Nick’s passing – we will remember him as we reach this incredible milestone.”
As previously reported, the EBCS committee faced a series of setbacks after a scheme to extend the village hall to accommodate a shop fell through due to complications with developing on grazing land.
Its next plan to buy the existing shop also fell through after the current owner decided to use it as a home.
However, the team then settled on a plan to buy the village’s former Baptist church. They subsequently raised £225,000 through a community share offer and received a £299,500 Community Ownership Fund award from the government’s Levelling Up scheme, enabling the purchase of the building in May last year.
Funding for an internal refurb worth £54,000 was awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF ), and further donations came in from East Boldre Parish Council, the county and district councils, and the Beaulieu Beaufort Foundation.
Volunteers coordinator Judith Richardson said: “We are lucky to have an amazingly effective and hardworking committee, supported by a team of wonderful volunteers. To get this far is a huge achievement – I think everyone in East Boldre is really looking forward to the shop opening.”
The large retail area will stock a range of everyday essentials to meet the needs of the community. Local producers will also be championed with showcase areas for local products and businesses.
The store will also operate a post office, while a community area at the rear of the building will be available for home workers, local groups and regular activities. A café will pop up regularly, and the team are set to work with Lymington’s St Barbe Museum to host regular exhibitions.
Committee member Malvena Stuart Taylor added: “We do have to pinch ourselves that we’ve come this far in less than a year. We have a mixed customer base so we will stock a range of lower cost products, mid-range and luxury. We will be baking our own bread and making fresh sandwiches and cakes.”
For more information visit www.eastboldrecommunitystores.com
