Detling Community Store,

The Green, Pilgrims Way,

Detling Maidstone, Kent

Call 01622 631305

The Detling Community Store is a Village project, initiated by the Parish Council after the Village shop closed. Residents have contributed more than £10000 in donations and many local companies have either donated money or their expertise to make the Store a success. We have also received grants from Detling Parish Council, KCC Leader, the Prince’s Countryside Fund, the Kent Community Foundation and Colyer- Fergusson. We have one full-time manager, Louise Reed, and the rest of the staffing is by volunteers. We are always looking for more volunteers, especially people who would like to work in the Post Office.

As well as being a store, we have a Post Office and a coffee shop. Our differentiator from other convenience stores and local supermarkets is that we stock as many locally produced goods as possible, as well as refillables and recyclables.

The grand opening seemed to be a massive success, what has the reaction of the community been like since?

We had more than 200 people attend the Opening by the Mayor of Maidstone, accompanied by our MBC Councillor Nick de Wiggondene-Sheppard. Since then our customer numbers have been way beyond our expectations, and in particular the local food, especially the sausage rolls and scones, have been very popular.

Why should readers consider popping into the store? Why should 2020 be the year of shopping local?

If your readers want local vegetables, milk and bread, excellent coffee, savoury and sweet snacks or just want to refill their washing up liquid or balsamic vinegar and much more, come and have a look.