As many of you will know, the Community Shop at Headley has been run by the community. since 2008, led by an elected management committee and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers who assist the shop supervisors during the week and at weekends run the Shop and undertake the paper deliveries. Since 2011, we have been fortunate to occupy the Old Baptist Chapel in Thornford Road, owned and supported by Greenham Trust and Basingstoke and Deane.
Over the years, a great deal has been done to promote the Shop and Post Office. As a Committee, we are grateful for all the support that has been given but we have reached the stage where the continuing viability of the Shop and the Post Office is in danger from falling customer visits and in consequence reduced takings and profitability.
To put the issue in context, the customer visits have dropped year on year by 34% from pre-pandemic levels. Shopping trends have changed but the current level is unsustainable. In January and February this year, customer visits fell by 15% compared with the same months last year
The stated purpose of the Shop and the Post Office is to provide a service to the community in Headley and surrounding villages. The Post Office will not survive on its own without the Shop. The remuneration paid by the Post Office does not cover our salary costs for the people who staff it. Therefore, we need our Post Office customers to buy things in the Shop for the Post Office to remain.
The simple fact is that the current level of trading is insufficient to cover the expenses of operating the Shop and the Post Office, primarily salaries, utilities and necessary insurance covers. What we really need is for the community to use the Shop more. Our prices are competitive. Even if you cannot find everything that you need in the Shop, there are plenty of unique products which are not sold by supermarkets and other local competitors as well as competitively priced everyday items.
In order to survive, the Shop needs additional sales. If our takings do not increase substantially, then there is only one inevitable consequence and Headley will lose a facility which we believe is valued by many in the community.
It’s for the community to decide what it wants. If the community wants the convenience of the Shop and Post Office in Headley then we all, as a community, need to find ways to use them. It’s as simple as that.
The Management Committee
