Source: Ledbury Reporter

RURAL shops facing difficult times are being given the chance to secure some much-needed funds from Herefordshire Council.

Grants of up to £5,000, or 90 per cent of the total project cost, are available to village stores in an effort to safeguard the vital services they provide for local people.

Priority will be given to shops at threat of closure, particularly those that currently offer a post office service, with a total of £15,000 available.

Projects eligible for grant aid include refurbishing the shop’s interior, purchasing equipment such as display cabinets, refrigerators, and paying for training or advice.

Cllr Adrian Blackshaw, responsible for economic and community services, said: “Keeping these services available and operating ensures that the most isolated and vulnerable communities of Herefordshire can survive.”