PASSFIELD'S treasured village shop, which was in danger of closing after losing its Post Office, has been saved by a £22,000 grant. Owners John and Susan Wood feared they would have to shut shop after they lost their long battle to save the Post Office in February this year. But the store has now been given a lifeline, thanks to the Village Community Grant Scheme - an initiative aimed at protecting the future of everyday services and local shops across the county. The grant funding consists of £10,000 from East Hampshire District Council and a further £12,000 from Hampshire County Council and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). The husband and wife team have come up with new ideas to help keep the shop profitable and these centre around local produce. They plan to have a new deli counter; fresh fruit and vegetables; an area for people to drink coffee; freshly made sandwiches and improved delivery services for food and newspapers. Mr Wood said: "Without this grant we would have had to close the shop. "Closing the shop would have been like ripping the heart out of the community. "The shop acts as a hub and everyone meets here and has a chat. "It is very much the centre of village life. Every- thing else, including the pub, has shut. "We sold our home in Derbyshire and moved to Passfield in 2006. "Before we made the move we produced a business plan for the local Post Office management and we were assured the branch was profitable and under no threat of closure, so we were stunned when it was earmarked for closure. "We tried everything we could to keep it open – but despite everyone rallying around to try to help us save the Post Office, we lost it. "This grant has saved the life of the village." With support from the local community and the parish council, successful applications were made for grant-aid support. Councillor Jonathan Glen, Hampshire County Council's executive member for skills and economic development and human resources, said: "Village shops are an essential part of rural life and I'm pleased that we can help John and Susan to revitalise their business and ensure that this vital service for local people is retained. "The Village Community Grant Scheme exists to provide funding for projects just like the improvements planned for Passfield Village Store. "It was created to help increase the use of village shops and to create new community-led village stores, particularly in communities losing their Post Offices." District councillor Richard Millard, portfolio holder for business development, said: "I am absolutely delighted that the district council has been able to provide timely and effective support to the Passfield Village Store. "John and Susan are to be congratulated on their exciting proposals and their ability to engage the full support of the local community. "This is an excellent example of a number of specific initiatives that the district council is pursuing to help our local communities and businesses to prosper." East Hampshire councillor and county councillor Sam James said: "I'm absolutely delighted that John and Sue Wood, of Passfield Store, have got support from East Hampshire District Council and the county council to improve their shop and maintain its vital role in the local community. My heartiest congratulations go to the local association group, chaired by Richard Hardman, and John and Sue Wood, who have worked tirelessly to keep the shop going despite the stupidity of the Post Office Ltd."
