Grosmont Village Shop

Grosmont Community shop – next steps.

In September 2025, our village shop closed.

We’ve set up a group to look at setting up a community and volunteer-led shop. In May 2026, we announced our intention to open a community shop in Castle Lane, with the generous support of Diana Paul.

In August 2025, we held a public meeting, and there was a good level of support for a community shop. We’ve held other consultations since. See below, or click here to see more.

Can you help? Let us know if you’d like to be part of:

the steering group;
a group surveying the village;
visiting other community shops (to understand how they did it);
helping fit-out the building to create the village shop;
or any other way you can help.

Latest News

Opening a new shop

We’re intending to open a community shop in Castle Lane. We’ll be adding more information about how we plan to do this soon.

The next big milestones are: to develop our business plan and to apply for planning permission.

Surveying the village

Thank you to everyone who came along to the options appraisal meeting (on 15 October), and who completed the first questionnaire. We appreciate the time you gave to do these.

We had a stall and an exhibition at the village market on 29 November about the results of the first questionnaire.

Community Benefit Society

Our application to set up a community benefit society has been accepted by the Financial Conduct Authority (the regulator). Scroll down for more information about community benefit societies.

As part of the process to set up the community benefit society, the Steering Group nominated five directors: Mary Bartlett, Richard Brown, Jo Chatt, Karen Farr and Andrew North.

Bank account

We’ve opened a bank account.

Steering Group

The Steering Group meets regularly. We’re setting up a number of sub-groups:

to develop a business plan;
to raise finance;
to convert the building;
create a pool of volunteers and provide training;
Survey group: asking the village for its views on the future shop;
learning from others: visiting and building links with other community groups that operate village shops.

The Steering Group meets regularly to check in with these three groups and the discuss other matters.

Any questions or comments? Please email the Steering Group.

The Steering Group is:

Mary Bartlett
Richard Brown
Jan Chatfield
Jo Chatt
Karen Farr

Jo Hampson
Daisy Learmond
Linda Mintowt-Czyz
Andrew North
Mark Potter
Maxine Powell
Helen Raywood

Dave Whiting
Charlotte Wilson
Lowri Wynn Morgan

Surveying the village

We’ve undertaken a number of surveys and consultations. We want to know what residents and visitors want from the next village shop.

What is a Community Benefit Society?

A Community Benefit Society (CBS) is a type of co-operative. It operates for the benefit of the community and can issue community shares, to raise money.

Operating on the basis of one member, one vote, regardess of the number of shares held, a CBS cannot pay dividends to shareholder members; all surpluses (or profits) have to be reinvested in the Society, or in the local community.

Want to know more? Here are some links:

What is a Community Benefit Society?

Community Benefit Societies