The Village Shop
22 October 2009

With the future of Ambridge's shop and post office in the balance, we look back at the history of this important facility and social centre.

Alan Devereux (Sid Perks)
ready to serve in 1969

1968
Sid's first wife Polly Perks won £1000 on the premium bonds, which she used as a deposit to buy the village shop and post office, She and Sid move into the flat upstairs.

1970
The shop became self-service.

1972
When Peggy Archer offered Sid and Polly the tenancy of the Bull, Jack Woolley bought the shop. Stanley Cooper became manager, with his daughter Angela as postmistress.

1973
Angela Cooper eloped with Gwyn Evans. Martha Woodford took over as manager and - with some difficulty - postmistress. Despite Jack's wish, Martha's husband Joby insisted that they would not move into the flat, which was occupied by Borchester teachers Edward and Joan Bartlett.

1976
The shop opened on Sunday mornings for the first time.

1979
Jack arranged alternative accommodation for the Bartletts, as he was planning to sell the shop and flat for around £35,000. In the face of local opposition, he changed his plans.

Peggy Archer (later Woolley) stepped in when Martha was unexpectedly unavailable.

1988
Errors started to creep in as Martha struggled with the paperwork - especially the VAT.

1989
Martha was off work with a slipped disk. The village rallied round, and Betty Tucker helped out a great deal. But Mike Tucker was resistant to the idea that Betty might take over full time if Martha didn't return.

Although Jack royally welcomed Martha back, she was nervous about his plans to update the shop, with ideas including a deli counter, a checkout and late opening two nights a week.

1990
The new-style shop opened, complete with a flashing neon sign, which was eventually removed by popular demand. Betty took over as manager, with Martha helping part-time.

1993
Trauma for Betty and Jack, held hostage in a raid on the shop by Clive Horrobin and his mate Bruno. Jack suffered a heart attack which fortunately was controlled by his pacemaker.

Clive and Bruno raid the shop

Betty was very nervous on her return to work. Martha was a tower of strength helping Betty regain her confidence.

1994 Mike expanded his milk round, starting to deliver vegetables and other groceries. Jack tried unsuccessfully to persuade Betty to stifle this unwelcome competition. He even fought back, with chauffeur Higgs making deliveries in the Bentley, although that didn't last long.

1996 Martha died on 17 January. Despite Mike's reluctance, Betty took over.

1998 Kate Aldridge helped part-time in the shop, in concert with Peggy. Kate caused friction by burning incense (that's what she claimed the smell was), arranging the window display on the principles of Feng Shui and welcoming her light-fingered friends into the stockroom. Betty wasn't impressed by Kate filling the place with recycled carrier bags on environmental grounds, either.

Susan Carter replaced Peggy as the regular part-time assistant.

2002 Despite opposition from Betty and Susan, Hayley Jordan (later Tucker) persuaded Jack to set up a video and DVD rental service. Annoyed at the extra workload, Susan worked to rule, demanding four types of identification from Lynda Snell (whom she had known for years).

The service was a success, however, and Jack extended the opening hours still further. Betty didn't want to work until 7pm every night, but Susan took on the extra hours.

2005 Amy Franks, the vicar's daughter, worked part-time at the shop. At Christmas, Betty died suddenly of a heart attack.

2006 Susan took over as manager. Despite her criminal record (for harbouring her brother Clive after the raid on the village shop), she was able to become postmistress because her offence was "spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

2008 Susan's daughter Emma worked occasionally at the shop. As they were now charging for carrier bags, many customers now brought their own (showing how prescient Kate was ten years earlier).

2009 With Susan concerned about falling sales, Neil refurbished the flat over the shop. After some wrangling by the parents of several interested youngsters, Helen Archer moved in. She was soon joined by Annette Turner, the daughter of Helen's deceased partner Greg. Susan took Annette on as a part-time worker.

By now Peggy was responsible for Jack's affairs because of his dementia. Bryce, her new financial advisor, recommended that Peggy consider closing the shop and converting it into a flat, producing much consternation in the village - and particularly for Susan.

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