Community owned shop delivers the goods!

In rural and island communities a shop can be a life line to local residents.

So, when a village shop closes or becomes unviable it can often be a real challenge to replace the services and functions it provided.

In some cases, community groups will seek to take ownership or even create a new shop. This case study film highlights how one such group did just that!

Using a combination of funding, including Community Led Local Development (CLLD) grant of £9,200 from Scottish Borders Local Action Group (LAG), Oxton Community Development Trust developed and constructed a new community-owned shop.

The shop in Oxton, Scottish Borders, is owned and run by members of the community and provides newspapers, a range of groceries, ice cream, greeting cards, drinks and household supplies to customers in Oxton, Carfraemill and surrounding areas. Run by volunteers and one member of staff it is a vital community resource.

Our case study highlights not only how the community shop provides an essential service but also how it gives the opportunity for social interaction and support for those in the community and how is also contributes to community wealth building.

CLLD is a Scottish Government fund and is a part of its Scottish Rural Delivery Programme (SRDP). It gives local communities the power to tackle their own, local challenges. By building knowledge and skills, supporting new ideas and encouraging cooperation, CLLD helps to create viable and resilient communities.

Find out more about Oxton Community shop here

Thanks to Inspiring Scotland for producing such a fantastic film.