There’s an outpouring of sadness about a village shop closing.
Hurst’s convenience store closed last Saturday, and the attached Post Office closed the previous day. There’s been a shop at that location for more than 100 years.
Some customers have suggested it become a community store. Others say it could host a farmers’ market. Many have said how sorry they are about the staff losing their jobs there.
There were queues to post Christmas parcels in the days before closure.
The shop, on the busy A321 between Wokingham and Twyford, has customer parking on and off the road.
The Post Office has invited any retailer interested in hosting a replacement for the PO to contact them.
A spokesperson said: “The operator for Hurst Post Office has resigned and the premises where the Post Office was situated has been withdrawn.
“We apologise to local residents who have used the branch to access our products and services.
“We encourage residents to use Twyford Post Office, which is open Monday to Saturday and accessible by public transport.
“Any retailer in Hurst who is interested in hosting a Post Office can email [email protected]”
The New Hurst Village Society (NHVS) told its members: “Whilst NHVS doesn’t have the resource to organise an initiative to address the issue, we are keen to keep members up to date with developments, and to act as a channel for communication.
“Given the background, it is unlikely the business owners will change their mind.”
NHVS chairman Ivor Fiennes said: “We have discussed [the closure] and we are worried about losing the shop.
“I don’t think there is anything we can do. It’s up to the landlord to find a new tenant to take it on.
“Should anything emerge from the community we would be very supportive of that.
“We share the views of a lot of people in the community who are very sad about it.”
Wokingham Today has approached the person understood to own the premises about the possibility of a new shop business moving in.
Bestway, which ran the store, did not reply to requests for comment on the closure.
