shop

by

New Manager Appointed For Hambledon Village Shop

A new manager has been appointed to take over the running of Hambledon’s community shop and post office.

She is Jo Jazeel, and she may be familiar to villagers because she has been running the farm shop operating at the Winterton Arms in neighbouring Chiddingfold since April of last year.

Jo will start on Monday (Feb 17) and will work a 26-hour week, continuing to operate the farm shop as well.

She has useful experience in the retail trade.  In addition to her successful venture at the Winterton Arms, she worked as a temporary sales assistant at Kirdford Community Stores between September 2012 and March 2013. Before that she was an account manager for a retail and supply company and a general manager for a book store. Her various roles included staff management, buying, marketing and distribution.

She also worked as a self-employed dog walker for 30 local clients when her daughter Annie-May, who is now 10, was younger. They live in Chiddingfold.

alt

Her appointment, which has been made in consultation with exisiting part-time shop managers and staff, results from a decision by Hambledon Village Shop Ltd, the company which operates the business, to appoint a single manager.

Of the previous managers, known as the “Three A’s”, Amanda Wright is reducing her hours to two mornings a week, Alison Wilson will continue with the same hours as before, and Alan Brien will leave after a gradual hand-over of his Post Office duties. Jo will have all managerial responsibility.

Of the part-time staff, Michelle, Cyril Netley and Helena Hockridge will continue as before, subject to any reorganisation of working arrangements that Jo may deem appropriate.

Volunteers will continue to be an integral part of the shop operation and have been informed of the changes.

by

Village Shop Celebrates 20 Years as a Community-run Venture

Hambledon Village Shop and Post Office has reached the significant milestone of 20 years since it was reopened as a community-run business.

A celebratory party was held in the village hall on Friday (Nov 16) attended by many of those involved in setting up the shop two decades ago together with the current management team and volunteers.

Virginia Bottomley, who as local MP was asked to reopen the shop in 1992, returned to the village to toast its continued success, paying particular tribute to the villagers whose vision, hard work and generosity got got the shop reopened and the many volunteers who have kept it going since.

“If Britain is a nation of shop keepers then Hambledon is a village of shopkeepers,” she said.

alt

Hambledon has had a village shop since at least 1850. It closed in March 1991 as, like so many other small shops, it lost out to supermarkets. It was a grievous loss to a rural community like Hambledon and older people in particular missed the convenience of a general provisions store and Post Office.

Two things happened that were to galvanise a team of villagers to take matters into their own hands. The Rev Christopher Blissard-Barnes, then vicar of St Peter’s Church, preached a sermon on the value of community spirit, saying that it would be wonderful if the shop could be reopened.

Continue reading →

by

Repaint for Village Shop Phone Box

The red phone box outside Hambledon Post Office and stores has been given a repaint by BT, with the Crown picked out in gold in this Queen’s Jubilee and London Olympic year.

The kiosk, which is of the iconic K6 design, was given listed status by English Heritage in October 2010. Recently the paint had peeled and faded and the parish council requested a repaint, which was carried out two weeks ago. The interior has also been repainted.

BT had proposed removing the kiosk three years ago because the number of calls made from it had declined with the widespread use of mobile phones, but this was resisted by the council and others. The parish council asked English Heritage if would consider listing it and an inspection was carried out.

The kiosk is of the classic design by Giles Gilbert Scott and was first introduced in 1935 on the occasion of King George V’s Silver Jubilee. English Heritage concluded that the Hambledon box, situated in a picturesque landscape next to a pond and post office, within a conservation area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, “contributes to the exceptional rural setting in which it stands”. It was given Grade II listed status.

It now looks splendid with its fresh coat of paint.  Although the box cannot now be removed, BT may remove the phone apparatus, subject to further consultation, sometime in the future. So please pop in and use it. It makes a pleasant change from a mobile phone. But remember: you will have to buy a phone card from the village Post Office as the kiosk no longer accepts coins.alt