Great things are in store for a Grimsby-area village after its flourishing shop was officially reopened.You can email the Grimsby Telegraph or the Market Rasen Mail from here with your news stories.
Against a background of swingeing cuts in the post office, one local village shop has bucked the trend. Jayne and David Irons are celebrating 2 years at Great Limber Post Office with an extensive refurbishment, and a grand re-opening by Lord Yarborough and local MP Edward Leigh on May 18th.
"This is a great way to say thanks for all the support we have received - by securing the future of the shop for years to come" said Jayne, who was a nurse at Leicester Royal Infirmary's prestigious Burns and Plastics Unit for 20 years before coming to the shop.
"We have built up newspaper deliveries in the surrounding villages which have lost their shops," said David. "We now deliver over 2,000 paper every week".
Edward Leigh, a well-known campaigner for rural post offices, made the national press when his bicycle was stolen during a visit to Great Limber Village Stores in 2000.
St Andrews Hospice and several other groups will have stalls at the re-opening. There will be a juggler, and a free raffle for a £30 meat hamper from Turners the Butchers. There will also be a cheese and wine tasting featuring locally produced Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese.
Great things are in store for a Grimsby-area village after its flourishing shop was officially reopened.
The Earl of Yarborough was joined at Great Limber Village Stores by consituency MP Edward Leigh to cut the tape.
Run by David and Jayne Irons, the shop is bucking the national trend while numerous similar village stores have been forced to close."We came to Great Limber in 2000 and since we have been here sales have increased by 10 per cent," Mr Irons explained."Because of this success we have been able to invest in the business and the shop has undergone a substantial refurbishment, which has given us a great chance to secure the shop's future for many years to come."
It is a future based on a long history - records show there has been trading on the site since 1276 and the actual shop dates from 1820. But the newly refurbished shop, which doubles as a Post Office, is truly fit for the 21st Century, with a new floor, new freezer units and better lighting.
Mr Irons said the secret of the shop's success was giving the customer what they wanted. "It is important you make it easy for cusomers to come in and buy what thay want," he said. "Our emphasis is on quality trather than price. We are not always able to compete in terms of cost." And high quality local produce on offer includes Lincolnshire Poacher cheese and Tom Woods Traditional Beer.
Mr Leigh said Great Limber Stores was a perfect example for other local shops to follow. "I think it is a very encouraging story and shows you can make a success of a village shop," he said. The Earl of Yarborough congratulated the Irons on their work with the shop. He said: "It is a wonderful job they have done, especially against the backdrop of so many village stores going under."
Great Limber resident and young mother Claire Adams said the store provided more than just somewhere to do the shopping. "It is about being at the centre of the community," she said. "It can be quite lonely as a young mum and the shop is somewhere to go and have a cup of tea and a chat."
Local MP and campaigner for rural post offices, Edward Leigh, together with Lord
Yarborough, opened the Great Limber Post Office after an extensive refurbishment. Jayne and David Irons are celebrating two years at the post
office and stores, during which time they have increased sales by 10 per cent, as well as expanding their newspaper sales, now delivering 2,000 papers every
week. Mr Irons said: “We need more hours in the day. We managed to keep the shop open during the refurbishment, which includes new chiller units, a new
floor, newly covered walls and improved lighting.”
One popular North Lincolnshire village shop has just been propelled into cyberspace. Great Limber Post Office and Village Stores has launched its own web site, allowing it to compete head-on with its multi-million pound rivals. "Visit our site to see our shop, post office services and press articles written about us - and click on our dog to find our special offers!" said David Irons, who runs the shop with his wife Jayne. The website address is david.villagestores.users.btopenworld.com.