What's New
Retailing in Rural Regions - Final Report from Scotland now available
Posted: December 2011
The final report on CRN’s involvement in the Northern Periphery Programme project, Retailing in Rural Regions, is now available.
Download Final Project Report – Scotland: December 2011 (1.3MB PDF)
Bookings are open for The Social Enterprise Exchange!
Posted: December 2011
Social Enterprise UK and Social Enterprise Scotland have joined forces to host the world’s biggest social enterprise event. The Social Enterprise Exchange will take place on Tuesday 27th March 2012 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.
Book now to secure your place at the social enterprise event of the year! Further details on the Social Enterprise Exchange website.
Retailing in Rural Regions (RRR) Final Conference, Heidarbaer, Iceland
Posted: December 2011
The importance of shops in sustaining ‘living’ rural communities was strongly highlighted this month at the final gathering of the countries that have taken part in the RRR project. Representatives from community-owned shops in Eriskay, Uig in Lewis, Papa Westray in Orkney and Hillswick in Shetland joined over 90 delegates from across the Northern Periphery area of Europe to contribute to the event.
You can download the conference report and further information about the project on our Retailing in Rural Regions page.
Bigton Community Shop – Share Issue Offer Goes to Community
Posted: December 2011
The shop and Post Office at Bigton in Shetland had been up for sale for a while. Worried that the shop might have to close a steering group of local volunteers was set up to look into community ownership. That was in May this year and after a lot of ground work, Bigton Community Enterprise Ltd has now been formally set up as an Industrial & Provident Society for the Benefit of the Community. A share issue is on offer to the community to help raise funds.
Download Bigton Shop press release (33kB Word file)
New Directory of Community-Owned Shops in Scotland
Posted: December 2011
The Community Retailing Network website now includes a directory of the community-owned shops in Scotland – currently 20 but if you know of any others please let us know.
The resources section of the website has also been updated with a link to From Talk to Shop a new guide on setting up and running a community-owned shop.
Rural Retailer - Autumn 2011
Posted: December 2011
Rural Retailer is a quarterly publication published by the Rural Shops Alliance. It is a useful resource, covering a range of topics including success stories, information on regulations, guidance on specific aspects of running a shop and up to date retail news.
Download Rural Retailer - Autumn 2011 (2.4MB PDF)
Retailing in Rural Regions Conference – Scottish Success Stories
Posted: July 2011
The Northern Periphery Programme “Retail in Rural Regions”, which has been running since 2009, is now moving towards its conclusion with a Dissemination Seminar in Inverness on 8 September 2011 and a Final Conference in Iceland in November 2011.
A small delegation will attend the Final Conference which will include a spotlight on a number of “Success Stories” from the Partner Countries involved – Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Faroe Islands, Norway, Greenland and Scotland.
The “Success Story” from Scotland will be presented by Elaine Newton, who is the Manager of the Uig Community Co-operative, situated at Timsgarry, Uig, Lewis.
Many similar success stories of community-owned stores serving local communities exist in Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles and other parts of rural Scotland.
The Project has included study visits to Partner countries, piloting an innovative training programme using videoconferencing and the development of a “Retail in Rural Regions” model for future support of rural retailers.
The Scottish Partner has been the Community Retailing Network, which provides support and training for community-owned stores throughout Scotland.
The “Retail in Rural Regions” Project Dissemination Seminar will take place in Inverness on Thursday 8 September 2011 in the Netley Conference Centre from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. This is a free event open to anyone with an interest in the Project and rural retailing.
The Seminar will include a report on the project and inputs from invited speakers on a variety of topics including: The Merkur Programme for rural store support in Norway, the proposed Highlands & Islands Skillshop Retail Project, Support for community-owned stores in England & Wales by the Plunkett Foundation, the Training Programme for community-owned stores in Scotland and an opportunity for discussion in a concluding Open Forum.
Further details on the Seminar and the final conference can be obtained from Tor Justad, “Retail in Rural Regions” Project Co-Ordinator on 0774 870 3912 or email tor.justad@co-operative.coop
'Simply' Tools for Community Enterprise
Posted: July 2011
The most comprehensive suite of resources ever to be developed for community enterprises has been launched by Co-operatives UK. It gives community enterprises access to top quality financial, legal and governance advice.
- Simply Finance – pooling expert advice on financing a community enterprise
- Simply Legal – pooling expert advice on legal structures
- Simply Governance – a comprehensive guide to efficiently and effectively running a community enterprise
- Online governance audit – a tool to allow enterprises to assess and diagnose how they are being run
- Online select-a-structure – a tool allowing fledgling enterprises to find the most appropriate legal structure for their needs
Available as hard copies or to download at http://www.uk.coop/simplyseries
New Funds to Support Community-Owned Shops
Posted: July 2011
We are delighted to announce that a package of funding has been awarded towards our programme of support for community-owned shops in Scotland over the next three years.
This is made up of £82,100 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, £36,000 from Highlands & Islands Enterprise and £15,000 from The Co-operative Group.
There are currently 21 community-owned shops across Scotland and a further eight under development. We are getting new enquiries almost every week with more and more communities seeing this model as an alternative to losing their local shop and services.
The local shop is what holds a community together and keeps it going. This funding will allow us to promote community ownership more widely and signpost the practical support that is available for both new and existing shops.
Study Visit to Ireland
Posted: March 2011
Community-owned shop representatives from Eriskay, Uig and Ravenspoint in the Western Isles took part in a study visit to Ireland in January as part of the Retailing in Rural Regions (RRR) Project. RRR is funded through the Northern Periphery Programme and CRN’s involvement is supported with match funding from Consumer Focus Scotland.
Download NPP report on Study Visit to Ireland (415kB PDF)
£314,000 for Co-Chomunn na Pairc
Posted: February 2011
2011 will see a major re-development and extension to the Ravenspoint Centre and Shop in Kershader, Lewis. The building is owned and run by the Pairc Community Co-operative, on behalf of the local community and the programme of work will include an expanded tea-room, new kitchen and toilet, a larger shop and meeting room.
See the Ravenspoint Community Shop website
Co-Chomunn na Hearadh is a Shining Example of Community Ownership
Posted: February 2011
Harris Community Co-operative had a well deserved celebration to mark the completion of the first stage of improvements to its shop. The community took over the shop in 1979 when it was threatened with closure and despite some difficult times the shop has survived and flourished under community ownership.
All profits are re-invested in the business and in 2007 the community co-op bought its premises after many years of leasing and has gradually carried out a huge refurbishment programme including new windows, re-wiring, an extension, new flooring, painting and decorating. The shop now provides a tearoom, craft shop, hardware, wholefoods, tourist information, petrol and 8 full-time jobs and will soon reach £1 million turnover.
Len Wardle, Chair of The Co-operative Group, which supplies most of the goods to the shop, visited the shop to celebrate their remarkable success.
See the Harris Community Co-op web page
Community Owned Shops: A Better Form of Business
Posted: February 2011
The Plunkett Foundation has published a new report containing an overview of the development of the community shop sector in the UK. The report includes new statistics focussing on the success factors of community shops and in particular the reasons why community shops represent better forms of business.
Further information and download
From Conflict to Co-operation
Posted: February 2011
Co-operatives UK has produced a series of five cartoon booklets to help community enterprises: Conflict, Communication Skills, Meetings and Decision-making, Organisational Growth and Development, Roles and Responsibilities of the Committee.
Gillian Bober, President of the East of England Co-operative Society, states in the Foreword:
“In order to achieve their goals and be sustainable, community enterprises need to know how to work as a team - communicating effectively, making good decisions, dealing with the inevitable conflicts and coping with growth and change. From Conflict to Co-operation - a series of handy illustrated guides - is invaluable. It includes useful hints and tips as well as signposting to further resources.”
Download the booklets from Co-operatives UK