THE Blisland Community Store’s future is in severe doubt due to a financial crisis, writes David Sillifant.

The building is situated in the heart of the village and recently celebrated its tenth anniversary.

However, with routes into the village minimal due to the ongoing roadworks at nearby Temple and a seemingly unwillingness from some locals to use the shop, finances are extremely tight as postmistress Anne Hill explains.

Mrs Hill said: “The biggest problem we are facing is what’s happening with the Temple roadworks. People are being diverted into Bodmin from the A30, meaning no-one is coming into the village from the outside to use the shop. The village is so quiet, the pub is struggling as well but at the same time the locals really need to start using it more too as many for some reason, don’t bother.”

As a result, an emergency weekend was called at the end of May.

It has been estimated that approximately £7,000 is needed to maintain the store’s immediate future, and as a result a financial crisis team has been set up, mainly of local businessmen who are insistent on keeping the Post Office in the village.

Mrs Hill knows just how vital it is to keep it going, if it were to fall by the wayside it would have a massive knock-on effect, especially for locals who do use the community centre and for two businesses who use the site for unit space.

She said: “There are a number of things which go on at the community centre which people should realise. Two local businesses, Tanist Computing and Hop Oils, pay for the units here, if they go then that would cause them massive problems too.

“We also have a doctors surgery once a week and a chiropodist who comes in to help with diabetic footcare and gives lots of the elderly population help.

“As it’s so local, it also brings in some of the older population of St Breward too who also want to use the service.

“The community centre is a social place too. We have a café, which again a lot of people use to get out and about and interact with people. It’s not just about losing the Post Office or the shop, it affects everyone and we need to keep it going.”