A VILLAGE shop has reopened its doors after standing empty for nearly a decade, bringing a much-needed facility back to the community.
The Althorne Store has opened on Burnham Road, in Althorne, and is now welcoming customers from 6am to 11pm every day.
It was previously home to Jeyam’s Supermarket, which included a Post Office before closing in 2018.
Now run in partnership with Premier Express, which has more than 5,000 stores around the country, the shop no longer offers a Post Office.
Claire Taylor, who has lived in the village for 34 years, and Nick Taylor welcomed the return of a local shop.
Mrs Taylor said: "It’s exciting for us - we’ve been here 34 years and have missed having a shop in the village.
"It’s lovely. We can just walk down and buy some milk."
Mrs Taylor says having the shop close by will save petrol for her and her husband, as they no longer need to drive to Latchingdon for daily shopping.
"We’re very happy," she added.
Mr Taylor said: "When we had the Post Office, the store wasn’t quite as big as this.
"We’ll be in here every day."
Shop assistant Kavi Ravi said the response from the community has been very positive.
Mr Ravi said: "We’ve had good support from customers.
"Many customers are excited to have this shop back.
"We want to be part of the community."
Althorne Store stocks a variety of everyday essentials, including newspapers, toiletries, soft drinks, and snacks.
To celebrate the reopening, customers were treated to complimentary coffee and croissants during the launch weekend.
Staff said the shop has been especially busy during the morning and evening, with many residents making regular visits.
Parking is available alongside the shop.
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