'Isolated' village gets first shop for seven years

Volunteers have opened a community shop – seven years after their "isolated" village lost its only store.

North Kelsey, in Lincolnshire, is five miles from the nearest town of Caistor.

Now, villagers have used donations and grants to open the shop at the village hall, in a space once used as a GP surgery waiting room.

Philip Jackson, who is on the steering committee, said: "We've got lots and lots of people coming in buying coffees and groceries. And that's the objective of the exercise – a community shop, run by the community, for the community."

Mr Jackson said he was "very, very excited" to open the store after two years of work.

Villagers were keen to tackle the "inconvenience" of having to travel to shops in Caistor or Brigg.

Elizabeth Harrison, 77, said it meant "a lot to the community". Previously, she had faced long drives if she had forgotten something.

The shop sells a variety of foodstuffs and household goods, but it is also serving as a community hub.

Chris Fletcher, who popped in to buy a coffee, said: "Being socially isolated, here is somewhere to go to.

"The shop is secondary to being a destination and to being somewhere to come to talk to other people."

The volunteers said profits would be ploughed back into community, including the youth club.

Opening hours are Monday to Saturday, but the organisers plan to extend to Sundays once they are able to sell newspapers.

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