– you could walk down the road to buy that bottle of milk you suddenly need? Or some of those special little extras for when friends come round? Or home-made cakes and biscuits and other local produce?
– you could meet your friends for a coffee while your children played on the field behind the Village Hall?
– you could showcase and sell your work in a local venue?
– you could contribute to village life by being part of a project to set up a community-owned shop and café?
All these things could be possible if enough people are willing to commit to making them happen. Several villages near us have successful community shops: Islip, Tackley and Wootton are three examples. They use existing buildings but you can see from these pictures what the villagers of Wigginton, near Tring, achieved when they created a new purpose-built shop/café beside their playing field.
We could do something like that here.
You may have your doubts about such a project – after all, the Bletchingdon Co-op is very close. But you may not want to be obliged to get in your car for every small errand, especially if you are elderly or have small children it’s easier just to put in a buggy. You may want to be able to meet others close to home and hear the latest news in an informal setting …
In addition to being a real hub of village life, such a venue could grow into a destination for walkers and visitors from outside the village to come and enjoy the exceptional surroundings of Kirtlington Park, the sports field, playground and church. There is no doubt that such an asset would not only contribute to the quality of our daily community life but it would also enhance the value of our properties.
There will be a public meeting to discuss this possibility in March in the Village Hall and a flyer will be sent out with more details nearer the time.
Meanwhile, if you would like to be involved or ask questions, please contact: