September Shop News

As the seemingly unstoppable tide of “artificial intelligence” sweeps over the world, the Abbotts Ann Village Shop remains a bastion of humanity.

During the Village Fete the door of the shop was wide open to those from near and far, a sanctuary of refreshment for weary wanderers; a friendly corner in a dark, vast universe. We had an even more successful year than previously. Human or non-human (dogs and alpacas included), well done to all who contributed.

Refurbished shop signpost

We welcome new regular volunteers Kate and Tamsin, and it’s been great having Jill kindly helping out whilst she’s staying in the village. They have been making waves providing some youthful energy to the atmosphere (not that it was in short supply) and have been diligently dealing with every aspect of daily shop duties.

We are always in need of new volunteers; you don’t need to be based in the Village either. Feel free to ask in the shop for more info! Alas, we are not accepting alpaca applications (they have a reputation for eating on the job).

The keen-eyed amongst you may still not have noticed the incredible workmanship on fixing the shop sign, damage to which was a slight thorn in the front of the shop. The split in the wood would prove no match for the joinery skills of Adam Rose (assisted by Steve Randall). We join together in thanking him.

New freezer units – with Mud Pie shelf

The summer heatwaves may be lapsing, but who doesn’t love a cheeky choc chip ice cream under some overcast clouds? Maybe some moreish Mud Pies under more frequent grey skies? Pop on down to peruse our produce, chill out with a coffee and some chit chat, or marvel at the multitudes of our considerable confectionery section. Perhaps some marshmallow for a marvelous fellow? There’s a new flavour of Tunnock’s Teacakes for the dark chocolate dilettante.

Face to face interaction will always remain a core part of village life; whatever may be going on in the world your local Village Shop is the place to go, the place to be seen and the place to remind yourself that good still exists in this world.

Henry Flood – Tuesday Baker

August 2026 update

It’s been another busy month at the village shop, and we’ve got plenty of news to share.

Repaired blind with super-sturdy support brackets

We’re delighted to say that our new freezers have arrived, thanks to a generous grant from Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC). They’re already proving very useful and will allow us to keep expanding the range of frozen goods available in the shop, as well as being more energy-efficient, so cutting our electricity bill.

We’re also pleased to report that the shop awning has been repaired and is now safely back up—just in time for us to enjoy a little less sunshine! After what feels like an endless heatwave, we’re hoping the worst of the hot weather is finally behind us. We hope you either enjoyed it or simply survived it, and we’re sure the gardens, fields and animals will be very grateful for some good old-fashioned English rain.

A huge thank you also goes to Ethan, our recent work experience student, who has been an absolute star and a huge help around the shop. We’ve really enjoyed having him with us and wish him all the best for the future.

With the village fete just around the corner, we have free flour available at the shop for anyone who would like to bake a cake for the fete. So, dust off those mixing bowls and get baking!

We’re also collecting bottles on behalf of the village fete for the bottle stall. If you have any unwanted bottles at home, please bring them along to the shop and help us fill the stall.

Finally, we have fete raffle tickets for sale in the shop.

And if you’d like to volunteer at the shop, please speak to Bev or Wendy—extra pairs of hands are always very welcome.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our little village shop—we couldn’t do it without you!