RESIDENTS of a Winchester estate are working to reopen a long-closed shop.

The Barn Stores in Abbotts Barton closed as a convenience store many years ago but a local group is drawing up plans to revive it as a shop and cafe on Chaundler Road.

The Abbotts Barton Community Group (ABCG) is developing ideas and hopes to put its plans to the building's owner, the city council, in the spring.

ABCG said the business could also comprise a post office, co-working space, an activity space for yoga classes, children’s groups, publicly accessible toilets and be fully accessible.

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It believes that with volunteers working as staff it could be a successful venture. A similar community shop in Hursley is doing well.

The building has been vacant since 2022 when a tropical fish business moved out. The convenience store closed more than ten years ago, one of the last such shops in the city.

The idea to reopen the shop stems from 2023, when the ABCG saw the Barn Stores was up for sale and that members were interested in turning it into a community café/shop. It is more than 3,000 sq. ft over two floors.

ABCG chair Chris Poulter said: "We want to give the community an asset we can be proud of, somewhere that provides basic services (such as a convenience store), but is also a place to meet, a place that celebrates and grows our understanding of our local history and heritage. The Abbotts Barton Community Group believes the old Barn Stores can provide all this, so we are really excited about the opportunity that Winchester City Council has offered us.

"The building has a huge amount of internal space over two floors. The actual uses for it will need to be consulted with the local community and will need to be affordable within our funding. But we believe it could include shop, a café, some co-working space for local home-workers, a teaching or yoga space and some new accessibility features to make sure people with less mobility can access and enjoy every part of it".

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The ABCG are a volunteer group, working on a variety of issue for the whole of the Abbotts Barton community.

Its website states: “One of our most exciting projects is our bid to take on, renovate and reopen the old Barn Stores, this fantastic building was built in 1799.

"It served as a convenience store when the estate was first built but has since closed, the Community Group would like to return it to [the] community service, providing a shop, café and becoming a historic asset that would make our community proud”.

In the November 2024 St Bartholomew's parish magazine, the ABCG stated what they wanted to achieve with this re-opening, “we believe with [an] up-front investment and some volunteer support to run it, it could become a popular and successful venture”.

ABCG says it will have a full consultation process and run engagement events so that everyone can have their say.

The initiative has the support of local city councillors. John Tippett-Cooper told the Chronicle: “It’s superb news that Abbotts Barton Community Group are looking to turn the Barn Stores into a community facility, and I was really pleased the council have been able to give them an opportunity to explore the possibilities for this historic building

"It’s a big challenge and I really hope the community gets behind the group and their vision. I fully support the group’s aims and am eager to see it develop, as it promises to bring lasting benefits to Abbott’s Barton”.

Mr Poulter said: "We want to make sure everything reaches the community expectations.

“We will take these plans to Winchester City Council, with an informed business case so they can be confident we can rent, restore and run the building as a viable, self-sustaining community asset."

The Chronicle has asked the council for comment.

More information on the ABCG and the Barn Stores project can be found on their website: https://abbottsbarton.info/