New community shop a 'fantastic asset' for village

A Cambridgeshire village is celebrating after opening a new community shop which has been partly funded by residents.

The store in Wilburton, near Ely, opened its doors on Monday after two years of fundraising by a committee that was formed last May.

Grants from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, with support from advisers at Plunkett UK, have provided £50,000. East Cambridgeshire District Council also provided £7,500.

John Attrill, a member of Wilburton Community Shop's management committee, said "as a community business, all profits will be returning to the village, making this a fantastic asset to the community in more ways than one".

John Dudeney, 80, said the shop was a huge boost for locals and came in very handy on the first day of business.

"My wife was baking a cake and ran out of flour," he said.

"Normally that would mean a trip to either Haddenham or Ely, but as the new shop was open, I simply walked up here and bought the flour.

"The cake was delicious by the way."

He hoped the shop would be able to expand and provide even more products.

"It'd be wonderful if we could bring back the Post Office here too," he added.

Neighbouring Haddenham and Stretham both have Post Offices.

Bob Moodliar, 76, a shop committee member, says its location in the car park of the Flame Indian restaurant and bar is pivotal.

"We must give special thanks to Dinesh and Harsha Makwana who own the business. They charge no rent for us using their car park and without their continued help and goodwill this project would have stalled at a very early stage," he said.

Moodliar added the committee was delighted with the numbers of volunteers running the shop.

"We have around 25 local residents splitting shifts to open five days a week currently, but will be looking to expand that," he said.

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