A ground-breaking ceremony has heralded the start of the work on the Harrowbarrow and Metherell community shop in the grounds of the village hall.

Community Association member Jean Miller, chair of the WI Eileen Sturt and Cllr Jim Wakem, chair of Calstock Parish Council were on hand to do the honours at the ceremony on June 23, laying the groundwork for the start of construction work at the site.

It is hoped that the community shop will be ready by September.

Committee chairman Karen Bennett said: “Jean, Eileen and Cllr Jim Wakem kindly wielded the shovels to mark the occasion. This is such a momentous moment in the project. Thank you to all involved.

“Also thanks to Jlegg Plant Hire and Keason Plant Services Ltd for donating time and resources to get the project moving.”

The shop has also received its new name voted on by the community. With some stiff competition from Little Larder and The Village Pantry, Tamar Valley Pantry eventually pipped all others to become the name of the new venture.

Karen said: “We have offered voting at all of our events, and on Facebook, for example at May Day, we had voting with coins.”

A series of polls at events and on Facebook helped pin down the name 'Tamar Valley Pantry' for the new community shop at Harrowbarrow and Metherell. (Picture: HMCS)
A series of polls at events and on Facebook helped pin down the name 'Tamar Valley Pantry' for the new community shop at Harrowbarrow and Metherell. Picture: Harrowbarrow & Metherell Community Shop. ( )

Plans to open the community shop this summer are still on track. She added: “We plan to open on September 1. We have raised £48,000 which is enough for us to do all the groundwork, buy the building and open a basic shop. Phase two will be the insulation, cladding and roof.

“The building is set to arrive by the middle of July with a date to be confirmed closer to the time.”

The current Harrowbarrow Post Office and Shop, which has been run by postmaster and postmistress Adrian and Mandy Parkes for 25 years, will be closing in August as the couple retire. There has been a community shop in the village for more than a century.