High Contrast   |   Standard Text   |    Medium Text   |   Large Text

Rural Retailer

Village Shops and Post Offices

Many rural communities have suffered from a reduction in local businesses and services in recent years. Village shops, post offices, pubs and garages have closed. In agriculture, too, traditional types of employment have disappeared due to changes in farming methods. Villages face becoming dormitories for nearby towns and having no local services of their own.  We have created an organisation called KARR (Kent Action for Rural Retailers) and work very closely with the Post Office to sustain or in some cases develop new Post Office services.

We can help communities to assess the need for services and to plan projects in response to that need. This can help develop a sustainable local economy for the benefit of all who live there. We can provide information on grants available for regeneration projects and on best practice already taking place in Kent.

We advise on all aspects of retaining and improving village shops and post offices and on many other local services.

For more information contact Sean Carter on either 01622 672667or 07946 302824 or email: rosscarter@btinternet.com

For more information submit an enquiry, or request an information pack.

KARR Kent Community Retailer Awards 2009

At a time when many shops and Post Offices are under threat, a number of rural shopkeepers have shown that good ideas and community involvement can help such businesses thrive.

The skills and efforts of these shopkeepers was recognised at the “Kent Community Retailer 2009” Awards held at Environmental Centre, Singleton on Tuesday 1st September.

Organised by “Kent Action for Rural Retailers” (KARR), this was the second time these awards have been made and are designed to give a higher profile to rural shops and make communities more aware of how important local village shops are.

The award goes to the retailer who it is considered does the most for his village and his customers and therefore this does not mean the biggest shop or the one with the highest turnover.

KARR is keen to see communities become more involved with their local shops and so all application forms were sent to Parish Councils to be completed with the retailers. A panel of judges reduced the entries to a shortlist of seven and then a different group of judges visited each shop to meet the retailers, look at the shop standards and services and to hear how they fitted into the local community.

Full results were as follows:

Winner	Graham Batchelor	"Batchelor's of Riverhead"
Joint Runner Up	Senna	Pluckley Post Office/"Cass's Convenience Store"
Joint Runner Up	Peter Higgs	"Chilham Shop"
Highly Commended	David & Ann Johnson	"Sandhurst Village Stores"
Highly Commended	Ken Linklater	"Costcutter", Rolvenden
Highly Commended	Michael Feeny	"Preston Village Shop"

Last years winner Ian Flory (left) presents the winners award to Graham Batchelor.

Sean Carter presents the Joint Runner Up awards to (left) Senna of Pluckley, and (right), Peter Higgs of Chilham.

Also receiving their awards from Sean Carter are Mike Feeny of Preston, Ken Linklater of Rolvenden and David Johnson of Sandhurst.