Village shop to close after serving community for FOUR HUNDRED YEARS
VILLAGERS have got months to save their historic shop as they face eviction from the store that has served the community for almost 400 years.
The Itteringham Village Shop has served the community for almost 400 years
The shop in Itteringham, Norfolk, opened in 1637 and rescued from an earlier threatened closure in 1994 when it was taken over by locals and has been run successfully ever since by volunteers.
But now owners Gary and Hannah Applin, who live next door, want to sell their home and the shop for a reported £500,000 and lawyers have served an eviction notice on the shop.
It was taken over by locals in 1994, but the next door owners now want to sell it
Mike Hemsley said: "Everyone is very upset at the prospect of losing the shop - it is at the very heart of our tiny community.
Everyone is very upset at the prospect of losing the shop - it is at the very heart of our tiny community
"We have choices - we could fight the eviction notice, find a temporary home in a portable cabin or try to raise the money to buy it ourselves."
The bid-to-buy option was supported by the Itteringham Community Association - treasurer Chris Lawrence said:"The whole village feels strongly enough to try and do something about it."
The store's Twitter account has been flooded with support
Although it has a population of just over 100, the village - which is five miles from the market town of Aylsham - has supported the shop which has expanded to include a popular café and tea room.
It also has a sub-post office and is open seven days a week selling groceries, home-made cakes and pies, sweets plants and books. It even does home deliveries.
The store has its own website and Twitter account which has been flooded with support since news of the threatened closure emerged.