A small group of passionate residents agreed that the community needed and would really benefit from a new shop and café selling local produce to local people, without the need to travel, and employing local people in both paid and volunteer positions.
This new community hub would provide a welcome boost to the local economy but also be a warm and friendly place for people of all ages to meet friends and make new ones.
Locals wholeheartedly agreed. Over time some 80-100 Wigginton residents mobilised and joined the working party set up to launch the shop. Local professionals investing for free their time, energy and specialist skills such as architect’s drawings, structural engineering, property law, retail management, website design and many more!
Initially there wasn’t an obvious site to locate the new community shop . Having explored a number of options, it became apparent that the village sports field lent itself perfectly, particularly as it was where the Scout Hut once stood.
The community held fundraising events and opened a community share scheme. A LEADER grant of £13,530, helped to fund the construction of the new specially designed building by a local builder and other grants then contributed to kitting out the kitchen and café.
The build started in September 2018, and the Wiggington Village Shop opened its doors to the community on 1st December 2018.
The shop and café were an instant hit and have also received professional praise having been awarded ‘best new business’ in 2019’s SME Hertfordshire Business Awards.
As well as attracting a base of regular local customers, the business has also started to become a destination for outdoor enthusiasts such as cyclists, walkers and horse riders.
Not only do Wigginton residents support the business as patrons, but over 90 volunteers have signed-up to work in the shop, with a core of 40 volunteers who have been trained up to work regular shifts serving in the café, on the till, welcoming new deliveries, cleaning etc .
The economic boost to the local community is also significant. Turnover has exceeded expectations at £20-£30k per month, with the café’s performance a bit stronger than anticipated.
The business has already hired 1 full-time manager and 2 part-time supervisors from the village and has also provided paid Summer work-experience for 6 local school leavers.
One of the key objectives of the shop and café has been to source 70% of their stock within less than a 30-mile radius. This has been one of the key successes to date - offering small local, independent and start-up producers a shop window for their wares and an opportunity to expand their businesses as well as making the shop a success.