Melmerby and Fellside Village Shop LTD.

A village community faces a crisis

The village of Melmerby is located on the A686 halfway between the towns of Penrith and Alston, at the foot of the Pennines in the Eden District of East Cumbria.  The road to the village, which traverses the spectacular Hartside Pass, is part of the SUSTRANS coast-to-coast cycle route, and was recently designated one of the most scenic routes in England: especially during the summer the village receives large numbers of cyclists, bikers, hikers and car-based visitors.  The village is also known for its bakery, The Village Bakery.  The original village shop and post office served a relatively small customer base of the village and the neighbouring settlements of Gamblesby and Ousby as well as farms and households scattered along the nearby fell.  It also provided a service to tourists and people driving through the village between Cumbria and Northumberland. However, it closed in 2002, due to the retirement of its owners. The nearest alternative shop was five miles away.

Faced with the imminent loss of their shop, which had been a social focal point of the community, Melmerby villagers held several ‘Save our Shop’ meetings during the summer and autumn of 2002.  However, it soon became apparent that the task was to establish an entirely new shop in different premises rather than try to save the old one, since the lease on the premises had nearly run its course.  The villagers decided to form a group to look into the various options available to them. They were assisted by the Enterprising Communities project, although other advisers were also involved throughout the process.