Locals residents are asking for a planning application to be refused so an Isle of Wight village can get its ‘heart’ back — although the local shop has been closed for the past 11 years.
An application has been submitted to change the use of the former Pond Stores, in Bonchurch, to residential, incorporating the retail space to the house behind it.
The store, which also housed a Post Office, has been closed since October 2009, something residents say has been sorely missed. However, the owner, Brenda Jackson, said despite her best efforts it was not a successful business.
A shop had operated at the site, on Bonchurch Village Road opposite the pond, since the 1960s, with the post office joining in the late 70s to early 80s.
In planning documents, Mrs Jackson said she had, in 2009, put the shop up for sale but there was no interest.
Since the shop’s closure, Bonchurch has ‘undergone major changes’, says Mrs Jackson, which has reduced the potential for a viable business even further.
Residents, however, have disagreed strongly with the application and argue the village is thriving with more people living and working in the area who need, and would ‘undoubtedly support’ a local shop, which was once extremely popular.
In objections submitted to the Isle of Wight Council, one resident said it was the missing thing on village’s supposed high street with others saying the shop had closed before they even knew it was for sale but hoped someone new, with fresh ideas, could take it on.
To view, or comment, on the application (20/01926/FUL) you can visit the council’s planning portal. Comments will be accepted until 26th February.
How can they expect the poor owner to open a shop that won’t do any business? It’s her home at the end of the day unless any objectors would give up their time and money to support her?
Unfortunately as lovely as it would be these village shops just can’t compete in today’s society.
If it goes through it would be sensible for the council to remove the summer parking restriction outside as that was there for shop usage and is completely redundant now.
Duck food, and ices sell well.
If the locals disagree so strongly why don’t they all ‘chip in’ and invest in a new shop venture, and thus share the business risk. That way they have a vested interest in keeping it alive.
Hey why not buy a shed and put milk vending machine, soft drink and food machine in it. Could also vend duck seed, ice lollies, duck eggs, etc…
you offering your services then
Doesn’t help when the post office closed the post office there, that probably paid to keep the business running.
All these comments are from non locals,my parents supported the shop for many years and felt let down when it closed as did many other locals.
Closing the shop killed Bonchurch and Brenda had an agenda from day one.
brenda was not born with a contracted attached to her, that read “must work all the hours of the day, for very little money, just so that a handful of lazy residents can get bread”
perhaps those lazy residents would like to take it on, instead of expecting someone else to bust a gut all day long, so that they can sip tea and eat bread, without having to drive anywhere, god forbid.
Well said
Sound like just another Island worker, long hours little pay… zero hours contract..
I’m local and totally agree with the woman. So what if she had an agenda it’s her house and she can do what she likes with it. It takes way more than a few locals to keep a shop going and I bet your parents didn’t do all their shopping there or spend loads in there every day. It really isn’t far to get to ventnor by foot or car . The village shop in whitwell closed years ago and that’s much further to get to shops but nobody made a fuss and it’s a bigger village with lots of families.
Have you offered your seevices or any capital? No thought not.
For decades, up and down the Country, larger out of town stores have been responsible for the demise of corner shops and village stores.
To ignore that is wantonly illiterate.
This is what happens, planets knew this when they permitted large supermarkets.
All people complaining about this use larger stores at least weekly, they just want that lazy mid-morning stroll to the village store once a week on a Saturday or Sunday, to feel how quaint their ‘village’ is.
those days are gone, long gone, 12yrs ago for Bonchurch.
Stop holding the property owner hostage for your own selfish, unworkable fantasies that you would never commit to if it was your money and your efforts.
let them stay in the village and use their property fully as a house.
Unbelievable self-entitlement in Bonchurch !
well said Del
these hypocrites will no doubt be at sainsburys or having their online orders delivered whilst complaining about a local shop they never went into 11 years ago, because they got stuff cheaper elsewhere.
for shops like that to be viable, they need a lot of customers, not one or two getting a loaf of bread once a week.
Well said sir.