A COMMUNITY shop is being opened as a lifeline to villagers who have lost their post office which also sold groceries and other items. The Walpole Community Interest Shop opens its doors on Monday after months of planning and organisation. Based in the C

A COMMUNITY shop is being opened as a lifeline to villagers who have lost their post office which also sold groceries and other items.

The Walpole Community Interest Shop opens its doors on Monday after months of planning and organisation.

Based in the Community Centre in Walpole St Andrew, the shop will stock basic foodstuffs, cleaning products, stationery, toys and sweets. A computer will also be available for customers to tax vehicles or obtain TV licences online.

Parish council chairman and chairman of the community centre Councillor Maureen Patrick said the idea of the shop was first discussed after the closure of Walpole St Andrew post office in 2006.

Attempts to find a suitable property failed and after many months it became clear that the only place to have a shop was in the community centre.

Cllr Patrick said: "We are off the beaten track and we are not going to get passing trade so we are relying on villagers to use it."

Shares costing �10 each are still on sale to help with overheads and stock. Each shareholder will entitled to have a say in the running of the shop and have as little or as much input as they want.

Cllr Patrick said prices in the shop would be very competitive. She said: "As the shop is charity based we are non profit making and therefore any profit will be distributed to local good causes at the end of the year."

The shop will open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and will be closed for lunch from 12.30 to 1.30pm. It will open on Saturdays from 9.30 to 11.30am.

Every Tuesday and Friday mornings there will be coffee mornings so parents dropping off children at school can have a chat with friends and family and do some shopping.