Bredfield Community Shop

Bredfield is a small village located about 3 miles from the small town of Woodbridge. In 1986 the village school closed and this blow was shortly followed by another in 1987 when the shop and post office also closed. However in 1988 after much local discussion among the villagers a meeting was held in the village hall to discuss the feasibility of opening a shop run by volunteers and supported by the local Community Council and the Village Hall Management.
 
By April 1989 a second-hand Portakabin was in place on the site of the old village hall and the shop finally opened its doors on 1st July 1989.
 
By 1994 the decision to build an extension on the end of the village hall to house the shop had already been taken and building was well underway.
 
In late 2005 a major decision was taken about the constitution of the shop, which up to that time had run as a subsidiary of the Community Council. With the introduction by the government in 2005 of Community Interest Companies it was decided to become independent and form the shop as a CIC. Five regular shop members volunteered to become directors and the shop was formally registered at Companies House on 28th April 2006.
 
As well as a wide range of reasonably priced goods from a local cash and carry the shop has a policy of stocking local produce as far as possible using a local bakery, butcher, free range egg supplier, fruit farm and smallholders. Another range that is selling well is supplied by Rainbow Wholefoods in Norwich.
 
The shop also boasts a digital photocopier, document laminator and a coffee corner where the comings and goings of a small Suffolk village can be discussed over a cup of tea or coffee.
 
Bredfield Village Shop celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009.