Research & Key Steps

We passed it almost every day.
We seldom went in, but we kind of liked it being there.

Like many post office shops around the country, the one serving the village of Church Fenton had seen better days since it first opened in 1903. By 2017 the most recent owners, ready to retire, put it up for sale.

With little or no interest from commercial buyers, it looked like the end of the road for the post office shop as we knew it.

Suddenly, faced with the prospect of losing a physical link to our village history and curious to find out what might be possible, a meeting was arranged in the village hall with all local residents invited.

In total 80 local people turned up - maybe the shop had an exciting future if everyone pulled together? A steering group of various skillsets and experience was quickly established to make key decisions, pledges were made and the Church Fenton Community Shop (CFCS) was born.

After establishing that there was a genuine desire and need to save the shop, we gradually discovered what people really wanted from it and what we had to do to make that happen; conducting local surveys and starting conversations with community funding foundations over the following weeks.

Armed with fresh knowledge and some existing skills, we wrote our Business Plan and set up a limited company, enshrining our volunteer-only model and giving us a legal vehicle to approach our next phase: this included dealing with the rent and purchase of the property. 

Less than six months after our first meeting in the village hall, we were setting up rotas for our volunteer members to work in the shop – we haven’t looked back since!

Your shop will rely on the constant support and custom of local people so ask them what they want as early as possible. You’ll be surprised how many good ideas come back from questionnaires or email surveys, and you’ll build an emotional bond with the community before the doors even open for the first time.

Engage with the Parish or Local Council who may help with venues and communication channels to set up initial meetings and even provide some early funds. At the very least share your initial plans with them so they are on board from the beginning.

4. Get organised

There will be a small group of people, maybe even one person, leading the process, but it’s unlikely that one individual has all the skills and experience to bring the project to fruition. You’ll need between 6 and 12 people (don’t worry, they’ll make themselves known as soon as you start asking around for ideas) with a range of business, finance, fundraising, retail, PR, property and legal experience – everyone has something to offer. Once assembled, you can agree the basic aims of the group and allocate roles.

5. Go and visit

There are plenty of excellent examples of community shops around the country. Go for a drive and visit one you like the look of. Take notes, ask for advice – in general people LOVE to share their experiences with genuinely interested like-minded folk.

All community shops are a little bit different to each other, but you will be amazed how others share your desire to make a difference to the future of their village and you’ll feel part of an even bigger community than your own.

6. Do the legals

Registering a limited company or a legal entity will articulate all of your intentions for your community shop ownership and control. Unlikely as it may seem today, it’s worth thinking about what would happen if things go wrong tomorrow. The members will have an equal share of this entity and an equal responsibility to run it according to the articles and conditions of your association. This process is not as daunting as it may first appear – a local, supportive legal advisor will guide you and steer you on the right path. Click here for information on Legals & Guidance

7. Find the premises

Unless an existing building is your initial inspiration, you’ll have to find a suitable location for your community shop. 

The first step is to consider the TYPE of property options in your community:

• Acquire (purchase or rent) existing shop premises
• Utilise or extend existing community buildings e.g. village hall/local church
• Use portable buildings (for permanent or temporary use while you raise funds)
• Convert existing building e.g. office space, workshop, farm building
• New build to be purpose built in line with planning regulations

Most of the options will require legal and property skills e.g. advice for planning applications and change of use situations, so anyone who has experience in this area would be a valuable member of the team! Click here for information on Premises.

8. Make a plan

There will be someone, somewhere in your community, who has a) written a business plan in the past and b) wants to help plan the financial future of your shop. Using a spreadsheet, they will show you and your stakeholders how money will be made and spent and, crucially, how long it will take before the business makes a profit. Click here for how to create your business plan

9. Plan operations

This is a dream job for the ‘process-driven’ and admin-loving members of your steering team! Their skills will help you visualize and plan how the shop will operate on a day to day basis. This includes fitting it out, overall ethos, design, policies and procedures, processes, T’s & C’s, opening hours, staffing, products and ranges to stock, suppliers. Everything that makes the shop run smoothly, safely and efficiently must be discussed, captured in notes and stored for future reference, monitoring progress and updating. We have included more information in our Opening Up section.

10. Source the staff

Although volunteering underpins the CFCS ethos, some shops will opt to employ one or more paid staff to manage and run operations on a full or part-time basis. Hiring this person is a vital consideration as it will determine the customer-facing personality of the shop and may limit the number of volunteers willing to contribute to all aspects of the business, not just serving customers behind the till. Click here for more information on staffing and volunteering.

11. On the shelf

When people walk through the door of your community shop, they should see a wide range of familiar products at affordable prices. The more locally sourced the better, as this will provide a point of differentiation and build loyalty. Unless your community objects to stocking cigarettes and alcohol, these items encourage frequent visits.

In the experience of CFCS, free food samples or tasting sessions make people feel included, and fresh bread makes them feel at home. Chalkboards, rather than printed leaflets, with special offers and seasonal produce information add interest, and provide talking points with regular customers. And of course, asking people what they’d like to see on the shelf is the first step to repeat sales! Click here for top tips when considering Supplies and Stock.

12. Get on with it!

Don’t delay and get started! You’ll be amazed how quickly this will gather momentum and great ideas will come flooding in.

Be positive, encouraging and patient.

An attitude of “nothing is a bad idea” in these early stages will mean you keep everyone’s interest and enthusiasm. There will be differences of opinion, however always be mindful that everyone needs to feel they have a voice – this is a community project!

Next - Business Plan >