A village shop in Berkshire is back open after being closed for months on end.
A village shop in Berkshire has reopened after months of closure.
The store, located on The Street in Hurst, was previously the village post office before shutting down on December 13, 2024.
Its recent history has been tumultuous; it was saved from closure in July 2023 but ultimately closed again after 18 months of operation.
Now under new ownership by Baweja Superstore, the shop has applied for a licence to sell alcohol from 5.30am to 11pm daily, which has been approved by Wokingham Borough Council following a consultation that ended on August 14.
A post on The Licensing Guys Facebook page announced: “Hurst Village Store, which closed in December 2024, has reopened as ‘Central Stores’ after a competitive battle among 11 potential buyers.”
The new owners celebrated the successful grant of the premises licence, with hopes of providing essential retail services to the community.
The Post Office also closed last year, and it remains uncertain whether these services will return under Baweja Stores.
Local MP Clive Jones called the closure a ‘crushing blow for the community’ and urged interested retailers to contact the Post Office about hosting a branch.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
