The building site – the workforce is great for business

The former NAAFI

The new premises

When the former owner went bankrupt in 2000, brothers Rachpal Dev and Iqbal Singh took over the lease of the shop, housed in a dilapidated former NAAFI building, from the landlord, the local housing association.

"My brother already owned two other local shops, so he was the ideal person to make a go of the shop and Post Office at Lighthorne Heath," recalled Dev. "But we took on the lease on the basis that the housing association would build a new shop, as part of their plans for the land which included a doctor's surgery and some new houses. Little did we know it would take ten years!”

These plans never materialised and Dev took over the running of the shop full time, doing his best with the old building.

"We had a self repairing lease - but we thought we'd only have the old building for ten months at the most! Half the shop was derelict; when it rained, it leaked. The loo and the kitchen were in a sorry state and the whole place was dark and dingy. It was embarrassing really. But we stuck with it, because we had family roots in the community and we were determined to see it through."

In 2003, the housing association asked the brothers if they were interested in buying the land; A price was agreed - but at the last minute, the association pulled out.

Explained Dev: "Eventually, they went on to build ten houses on the land – but they did keep their part of the deal and built a brand new shop on the site - and we opened with a flourish in September 2008. The new shop is everything the old one wasn't. It's bright and airy and welcoming – and nothing leaks!"

But all has not been plain sailing for the business, even with a bright new building. "Because it looks so smart, it’s become a target for thieves," said Dev. "Between December and March this year, I was called out 32 times in the small hours because the alarm had sounded.

"As a result, I had to resign as sub postmaster, so the PO side of the business closed. I just felt I was expected to take on too much for very little reward," he added.

But Dev remains optimistic about the future. The shop will soon get a Paypoint terminal to allow local people to pay their domestic heating and other household bills – and stamps are still for sale.

"So far, the closure of the PO has not affected our business. Because we offer a good service, and like to help out the community wherever possible, people are very loyal and happy to shop here," added Dev.

Practice nurses from the doctor's surgery four miles away visit the shop once a week for the distribution of repeat prescriptions – a boon for local people without their own transport.

Dev is also delighted with the support and advice he has received from the RSA's Ken Parsons and Steve Patalong from Warwickshire's Vital Villages programme. "It's good to know there is help and support out there; running a business is challenging, and I'm always happy to listen to good advice," he said.

"It took ten years, but we now have a brand new building, and business is looking good. We feel very much part of the local community; it's a real social hub," added Dev, who runs the shop with the help of just one part-time member of staff.

THE RSA VIEW
Lighthorne Heath is not a typical village. It is based around the married quarters of an old RAF cold war bomber airfield. The old NAAFI looked as though it was built to withstand a direct hit from a large bomb, whilst the inside looked as though it had already received one. Dev has really got to be commended for sticking it out so long under really trying conditions to get his modern premises. The downside is that the old shop was harder to break into and losing the post office under these circumstances is really dispiriting for Dev and the community he serves. We understand that Post Office Ltd. is seeking alternative provision in the village.