I recently had the pleasure of joining Councillor Linda Robinson and Councillor Paul Middleborough on a tour around the Upton Snodsbury and Drakes Broughton Wards including a stop off at the Peopleton Pantry.
Peopleton Pantry is a community owned and run village shop. Following the retirement of the previous shop owner in 2010, the property was bought and retained locally and from there a Community Enterprise was formed which raised money in the new venture through the selling of shares to local people. The Pantry runs a shop, a post office and a Café all in one. When I visited it was bustling with activity and I was pleased to hear that this is normally the case – what an excellent example of a local community coming together to protect and sustain a local service.
The Dolphin Pub in Bishampton was saved from closure from a similar response by the local community and long may such interventions to create social enterprises continue.
Counillor Paul Middleborough also showed me the proposed site of the Parkway Station near Norton which received funding last year. While there is clearly work to be done to minimise the impact on the local envinroment and roads, the station would be a significant and welcome boost to the local economy.
Finally, we all spent some time with Andrew Baxter, the Chairman of the NFU in Worcestershire when we discussed some of the local issues affecting farmers and I pledged my firm support for the farming community and protecting the rural way of life in general.
Thanks to Linda and Paul for arraning the day and to everyone I met for the warm welcome and friendly smiles.