High Salvington residents fear losing village shop

The freehold of the village shop in Salvington Hill, Worthing, is due to be sold at an auction on Wednesday, July 11.

The listing of the land on www.rightmove.co.uk notes ‘the potential for significant re-development’ of the site.

Mary Meadows, chairman of the High Salvington Residents’ Association, said residents fear they could lose their ‘crucial’ shop if the land is redeveloped.

She said a village shop, in one form or another, has been housed within the building since around 1920.

“The building is an iconic focal point forming part of the character of High Salvington and The Village Shop acts as the hub of the village,” she said.

“A high percentage of the population of High Salvington are elderly, some of whom no longer drive, and rely on this village shop for their provisions and also use the post office, with banking facilities, located within the shop.

“We feel that the shop is an asset for the community.”

The residents’ association is currently assessing interest among the community in raising funds in order to buy the land at auction.

If their bid was successful, they would propose to keep the current leaseholder of the shop and hopefully the adjoining hairdressers too.

Residents should register their interest with the association.

The guide price for the freehold is set at £275,000 to £300,000.

A special general meeting to discuss the situation is being held by the residents’ association for its members on Friday.

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