A sustainable route for generating thriving and resilient community facilities
About Woodgate Community Shop
Woodgate is a community of over 600 homes located near Pease Pottage, West Sussex. The development is a joint venture between Thakeham, one of the leading housebuilders in the south of England, and Abri, one of the UK’s largest providers of affordable housing.
Community-owned shops are rare in new developments; it’s believed that Woodgate is the first of its kind in a new community.
Thakeham worked with charity Plunkett UK to open the Woodgate Community Shop in 2024. The convenience store is run by and for the benefit of the local community. Community-owned shops are rare in new developments, and it is believed that Woodgate is the first purpose-built community shop in a new community.
How does the Woodgate Community Shop make a difference?
Easily accessible and conveniently located at the heart of the development, the Community Shop provides a range of essential everyday items and local products. The stock is tailored to the needs and tastes of residents and visitors to St Catherine’s Hospice, which is also based onsite.
But the Woodgate Community Shop is more than just a business. It has played a pivotal role in facilitating community cohesion between new and existing community members, through providing a space for residents to connect with their neighbours. The shop’s community committee has also organised a plethora of social events, such as the annual summer fair and Easter egg hunt.
Woodgate Community Shop is more than just a business. It has played a pivotal role in facilitating community cohesion.
How did they do it?
Thakeham began working with Plunkett UK at the end of 2019 to develop plans for a community shop at Woodgate, as the company saw it as a key mechanism to help create a thriving and active local community. Ahead of establishing the shop, Plunkett UK undertook a series of consultations to engage the wider community, including local residents, Slaugham Parish Council and the local primary school.
As the development progressed, residents were encouraged to be involved: by volunteering, purchasing shares, becoming a member or joining the committee.
As the development progressed, consistent efforts were made to ensure that new residents were aware of the shop and the ways that they could get involved: by becoming a volunteer, purchasing shares, becoming a member or joining the committee.
Following the initial consultations, a steering committee was established in 2021, which began to develop the vision and business plan for the community shop. Plunkett UK provided expert advice throughout the process. While the facilities and core equipment were gifted to the community by Thakeham, the community committee raised funds to cover the cost of stock and other optional equipment, as well as initial staff salaries.
Ahead of establishing the shop, Plunkett UK undertook a series of consultations to engage the wider community.
The shop opened in May 2024 and is operated by two paid staff members, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers. Woodgate Community Shop is on track to meet its annual target of £250k turnover in its first year of trading and will continue to be supported by Plunkett UK through the charity’s dedicated membership scheme for community businesses. As the sector has a 94% 20-year survival rate, the model has proved to be a sustainable option for generating thriving and resilient community facilities.
What helps unlock a community shop’s potential?
- The model can be replicated in other new developments as community-owned businesses can thrive in communities of all types and sizes. A commitment to developing new large-scale communities has the exciting potential to transfer newly built assets and services into community ownership, enabling community-run businesses to thrive in new developments at scale. Additionally, supporting and enabling community-run businesses has the potential to help provide community infrastructure that might otherwise not have been viable, extending far beyond retail provisions, such as cafes, community kitchens, launderettes and co-working spaces.
- Access to volunteers is vital for the running and management of a community shop. New developments often have a predominantly working-age population, which can impact the availability of volunteers to support the business. However, volunteer roles can adapt to suit people’s skills and capacity, while opportunities will also evolve as the community matures.
Advice for other community projects
- Engage and communicate with other relevant stakeholders such as local authorities as early in the process as possible.
- If considering starting a community business, work with Plunkett UK, as the charity has a vast amount of knowledge, expertise and data from its 800-strong community business network.
- Leverage and collaborate with local community networks to tap into their experience and knowledge.
Relevant Links
Header photo: Thakeham Homes Woodgate Pease Pottage, by Andrew Ogilvy Photography
