A community shop may take various forms.  The building is generally owned by the community, and in almost all cases the shop itself is community-owned and run by volunteers, with or without some paid staff.  Only about 4% of community shops are run as a separate business by a tenant.

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The Plunkett Foundation

The Plunkett Foundation is the national organisation that supports the development of community-owned shops;  they are helping our project to set up the appropriate type of organisation in order to be eligible for external funding. They currently know of 349 such shops across the UK.

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They have a very useful website about community shops.  They have also produced a very detailed 2017 report giving invaluable information and statistics on UK community shops

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Other useful resources include a number of information sheets on setting up a community shop.

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Local Community Shops

• Slindon Forge (shop, cafe and South Downs National Park information point) - opened 2012

• Lodsworth Larder (shop) - opened 2009

• Graffham Village Shop (shop) - opened 1993

• Kirdford Village Stores (shop and cafe) - opened 2010

• Milland Stores and Cafe (shop and cafe) - opened 2011

• Shackleford Village Shop (shop and Post Office) - opened 2011

• The Old Village Stores, Slinfold (shop) - opened 2002

• Rusper Village Stores (shop and Post Office) - opened 1999

• Harting Stores, South Harting (shop) - opened 1996

• Findon Village Store and Post Office - purchased by the community 2017, reopened Oct 2017