Avening Cornershop and Post Office could close

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Avening Cornershop and Post Office could close due to dwindling customer numbers

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USE IT or lose it - that is the message which has gone out to villagers in Avening following fears that their post office and village shop could close.

Seven shops used to thrive in the village but the last one, Avening Cornershop and Post Office, is now facing closure because trade has fallen off.

The shop is managed by Kim Pittam while David Naish manages the post office.

Mr Naish said that the recent heavy snow saw the shop inundated with customers and the shelves cleared.

"People realised then how important having a village shop was," he said.

"But after the weather cleared up again they never came back.

"We normally only have about 50 customers a day.

"We really need double that to sustain the business - in the last year our takings have halved.

"Residents should realise that if they do not use it, they will not have a shop or post office."

The shop has been trading under different owners for nearly 100 years and is often used for village notices and messages.

Villager Jean Whitehead, who uses the shop regularly, said: "It is a social hub - we all know each other and the older people especially rely on the shop for a daily chit chat.

"I do not do my weekly shop here but try and come in as much as I can.

"I pop in here for extra bits and if the shop closes I will have to go to Nailsworth or Tetbury, which means using the car."

The freehold of the shop and post office building is currently up for sale at £315,000.

Shop owner Clarissa Mitchell has told the shop's six members of staff, that trading will end on Friday, February 12.

According to Royal Mail figures the number of post office branches in Gloucestershire dropped from 217 to 136 between 1999 and 2009.