A VILLAGE shop on Exmoor has been saved from closure for the second time in less than four years.

Villagers in Brompton Regis stepped in to show their support for the facility when the business run by Pete and Jenny Stringer for 20 years fell victim to post office cuts in 2008.

George Inn licensees Trish and Paul Randell offered the use of their skittle alley as a venue for a community shop and managed it with a team of volunteers, while the post office offered an 'outreach' service a few hours a week.

But earlier this month, the Randells announced they were giving up their tenancy of the pub, which is now closed temporarily for repairs.

Iain Joyce, chairman of the shop committee, said the news left the village with very little time to find a solution.

"But Brompton Regis is a great community and although there are not very many of us - around 250 - we have very good support," he said.

And community determination and frantic negotiations led to the shop opening its doors to customers in a new venue on Monday - the village hall.

Mr Joyce said the business had gone from strength to strength, with trading figures rising from £65,000 in the first year to £70,000 this year.

But the community venture - described previously by chief executive of the Rural Shops Alliance Ken Parsons as "the miracle in the skittle alley" - was now entering a new phase.

Mr Joyce said it was hoped the village hall would be a permanent home for the enterprise, which will now be known as the Brompton Regis Village Shop Industrial and Provident Society.

It would be a community shop, fully owned by the community and run for the benefit of the community, with any surplus profits used to support local causes.

The shop will open six days a week from 9am to 1pm and now has a paid manager for the first time, who will be helped by a team of volunteers.

And it will continue to sell a range of goods, from newspapers and groceries to local produce including eggs, honey and bakery goods.

Volunteers relocated the business, box by box, last weekend.

"It has taken a huge amount of work and effort to secure agreement and make arrangements for this," said Mr Joyce.

But he said the solution had not been without cost because to accommodate the shop in the village hall, the Brompton Regis Men's Club - which despite its name is open to women - has given up its club room.

And a new home is currently being sought for the snooker table that was bequeathed to the village some 60 years ago.

"We were proud of our unique shop in the skittle alley and sad to see it go," said Mr Joyce.

"But now we are excited about our new venture and we are determined that it will be an even greater benefit to the community."

Open for business - pictured from the left are shop manager Sam Priest, Iain Joyce, committee member Jane Rees and volunteer Pauli Joyce.

Photo: Steve Guscott