Community Shops: The Better Business Model James Alcock: Community Retail Manager Plunkett Foundation

Overview Introduction to Community Shops Best Practice from Kirdford, Sussex Best Practice from Brockweir and Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire Further support available Group Discussion

Introduction Definition: Shop which is owned and/or managed by the community, for the community Legal Structure: Industrial and Provident Society for the Benefit of the Community Start-up Capital: £20,000 - £200,000+ Premises: Original shop premises, New build, Portable Buildings, Church, Village Halls Stakeholders: 150 members, 7 committee members, 2 employees, 30 regular volunteers, Customer base: Immediate population, plus passing trade Turnover: £7,000 – £900,000 (avg: £130,000) Year Started: 1984 Stage of Development: 271 shops trading, opening at a rate of 20 per year

Better Resilience 96% success rate Increasing rate of shop openings 400 village shop closures each year

Better Governance Robust legal structures: genuine community ownership 65% IPS Bencom: Prioritise community benefit Democratically elected committees: answerable to the community Avg of 150 members: resource pool * Caveat CLG and CICs

Better Finances Community Shops are (or should be) profit focused! Collective turnover: £32million pa Turnover range: £7,000 - £900,000 Average Net profit: £3,654 –Reduced staffing costs - Volunteer hours Avg 30 – saving of £6.2m –Favourable terms on other overheads –Trading for community not commercial purpose –Inclusion of Share Capital: e.g. Dunsfold and Tewin Local Food – £1 = £1.76 to local economy

Better services Retain essential retail service Local Food: village shops number one platform to purchase local Safeguard Post Office services: 56% have Post Offices Cafes: 40% have cafes Community Spaces: 15 in Village Halls, 5 in Churches, 3 in Pubs

Better communities and Lives Social value of community shops Inclusion of cafes, volunteers, events Support the elderly, less mobile and more vulnerable Active citizens, supporting citizens Profit reallocated for community use: 22% £197,754 annually Volunteer opportunities: 30 volunteers Employment: 1.8 employees Training: all ages

Better Environmentally Less Travel Reduced food miles Influenced by modern day behaviours and values e.g. Thorncombe –Food re-use –Composting –Recycling –Bag loans

Kirdford

Gutted

Fit Out starts – mid April 2010

Late Evening 14 th May 2010 – eve of trading (soft opening)

5 th June 2010 Official Opening

Chichester Observer Community Award for Best Shopworker

CLA/AiRS Success in Rural Business Award 2011 South East Region Winner 2011

Creating ownership

Involve your community Regular dialogue Newsletters s Events Press coverage Website Facebook Twitter Create ownership and pride

How do you reach and communicate with all sections of your community?

Support Available Central Support Service –Telephone, , Face-to-Face Adviser Network –Community Advisers, Specialist Advisers and Mentors Online Community Shop Network –Forum, Directory, Tools and Resources –Advice Sheets Legal structures advice and registrations service –Community Shares and Fundraising Membership Services –Representation and Purchasing Press and Publicity.

Summary Community shops: –Are more resilient and financially robust –Promote inclusively –Address social exclusion –Support the local economy –Reduce carbon footprint