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Community store will be ‘convenient and green’
DETLING’s new community store aims be convenient and green. Only paper bags will be used
and a number of refillable items will be on sale to reduce the use of plastic, including washing liquid, soap and shampoo. Other stock will be sourced lo-
cally where possible, including bread, which will be supplied by the Blackthorn Trust in Maidstone. It is a victory for the community
– replacing the village store that closed seven years ago – and has taken four years to complete. Steering group chairman Richard Finn (70) said: “At times, it seemed the project might not hap- pen. But now we have two con- tainers to house the shop and Post Office and a manager appointed. We have also applied for a license to sell alcohol.” Manager Louise Reed, pictured,
will lead the team of volunteers that will keep the store open from 7am-7pm six days a week, and
The 12m x 5m store, next to the
village hall, is likely to be popular with walkers and cyclists using the Pilgrims Way and will have a water refilling point. Louise said: “We have ideas in- cluding ‘pop-up suppliers’.” Talks are also being held about providing parking and allowing turning space for vehicles. Mr Finn added: “We have worked hard to go through all the necessary building procedures and applying for the necessary ap- provals with the Post Office and we hope the store will become a destination for many people.” The parish council has sup-
from 7am-1pm on Sunday. She lives in Harrietsham and has expe- rience of running shops. Shoppers will be able to sit down
with a coffee, cake and sand- wiches, and the shop will sell con- fectionery, cigarettes, lottery tickets and locally-produced food.
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ported the project with a donation and loan and £8,000 has been given by villagers and local businesses. The project also received help from charities including The Prince’s Countryside Trust. It is hoped the shop will open
for Christmas, with the Post Of- fice being installed in January.
News Homes protest
in town centre VILLAGERS appalled by Maid- stone Borough Council’s plans for 5,000 homes at Lenham Heath took their protest to the authority’s front door.
Kate Hammond was among 19 protestors from the Save Our Heath Land (SOHL) group on November 4. She said: “We were chanting
‘Save our Heath Land’ right out- side, but in spite of the fact that the proposal comes from the council it- self, we were ignored.” The group is opposed to the pro-
posal for a large-scale development for which the Lib Dem-led council will be the “master developer”. Mrs Hammond said: “We know
that if this goes ahead, it won’t be 5,000 houses … it would open the door to thousands more on either side and blight the whole area.” SOHL was preparing another demonstration at Lenham Heath on November 17. Many accused the council of
using tax-payers’ money to prep- sare its scheme before the council’s ‘call for sites’ had officially opened. l Call for sites, list - p18, 19 & 22.
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