Minety Community Shop in north Wiltshire recently received a visit from Roz Savage MP and Plunkett UK.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss with the shop’s committee how a community-owned business works, and to understand the services they are offering the village and surrounding area.
The shop, which started as a pop-up shop to support the community during the first Covid-19 lockdown, is now a flourishing convenience store situated in the committee room of Minety Village Hall and adored by villagers and visitors alike. It is owned by the community, for the community, and relies on volunteers to help run the shop, which individuals do on a weekly, monthly, and ad-hoc basis. Though the business continues to thrive, fundraising is still a significant part of its structure and its ability to thrive.
Roz Savage MP for South Cotswolds reflected on her visit:
“Minety Community Shop is a shining example of what can be achieved when local people come together with determination and care. It’s owned by the community, for the community, and it shows the real strength of local action in tackling challenges like food security and social isolation.”
Roz Savage (pictured centrally), with representatives from Minety Community Shop, and David Lydiat, Head of External Affairs at Plunkett UK (pictured left)
Local MP Roz Savage recently spoke with Plunkett UK about the power of community ownership and visited Minety Community Shop as a shining example. She’s launched a new initiative, Stronger South Cotswolds, aimed at tackling food security, social isolation, and economic resilience—putting communities at the heart of change.
At Plunkett, we know that community businesses are ideal advocates for this kind of action. Our latest Impact Report highlights the life-changing difference these businesses make across five key themes. To date, we’ve supported 828 to open, with nearly 800 more in the pipeline and around 30 launching each year.
These businesses thrive where others struggle, acting as multi-service hubs that support the most vulnerable in rural areas. Typically serving 500 residents directly, and reaching up to 2,000 more in surrounding parishes, an estimated 2 million people now benefit from the growing movement of rural community businesses.
Catherine Abbott, Minety Community Shop Manager, said:
“We have come a long way from since the shop was a ‘pie in the sky’ dream by a few residents, then Covid-19 came along and sped up the process. We started with pop-up shop in a bus stop and quickly moved into the Village Hall’s meeting room with the backing of the Village Hall trustees, whom we would like to thank. There has been a lot of hard work from many people, but our fantastic volunteers who have helped make the shop what it is today, without them we wouldn’t be here. We have many ideas for our future, including moving to a permanent purpose-built premises, to build upon the success so far.”
David Lydiat, Plunkett UK’s Head of External Affairs, stated:
“It was a privilege to visit Minety Community Shop and to talk to the volunteers with Roz Savage MP. The community shop is a friendly and welcoming place. Plunkett UK is proud to continue to support Minety and we look forward to seeing how the business grows and wish it more success in the coming years.”
We are here to help!
If you’re part of a community group looking to save a local asset or business, Plunkett UK is here to help. You can access our support by calling 01993 630022 or emailing info@plunkett.co.uk.
