Godshill isn’t just for tourists

After the upturn of the last year when we have seen the arrival of The Pantry, Leal’s, Worsley’s, Faithful Friends and Woods Kitchen, we are now seeing our first closure as a result of the apparent apathy of Godshill residents and lack of any obvious or proactive support from the Parish Council (aside from the effervescent Councillor Yasmin Nigh).

Steph at Faithful Friends has finally given up the battle. You would have thought that the significant number of dog, cat and assorted other pet owners in Godshill would have at least put their head around the door and helped to support a local business by buying just a few small items every now and again. But no, it wasn’t to be.

Our excellent village post office/shop together with Sam’s Pantry can supply locals with a great deal of various items and produce, so why don’t locals pop into these two shops on a regular basis for a few essentials, extras or even treats? Did you know that the Post Office has local Isle of Wight Xmas cards?

In the Pantry, Sam has an ever-changing offer of local Isle of Wight vegetables and fruit. What’s more, she is open seven days a week. You can even place a weekly order of these vegetables. She also has the very best of local bread from Graces Bakery. You can always give her a call on 840187 to find out what she currently has and she will happily put things by for you to collect when convenient.

How many of you wander around Xanadu? It’s absolutely amazing the things you find in this little treasure trove. Surely plenty of ideas for Xmas and birthday gifts.

Annabel and Carl are working hard in Leal’s to provide a great place for all of us to meet up. Unlike the other similar establishments on the High Street, they plan to be open throughout the winter – a great place to stop off for anything from just a coffee to a decent meal. Please support them if you live in Godshill or nearby. With no community centre in the village, wouldn’t Leal’s be a nice place for informal groups to meet? They have a magnificent woodburner!

Did you know that research on spending shows that for every £1 spent with a small or medium-sized business 63p stayed in the local economy, compared to 40p with a larger business. More money being retained locally means the ability to create more local jobs.

Buying out-of-season produce, like strawberries in December, lowers your eco-credentials. As does eating salad and vegetables that have been flown halfway round the world or wrapped in layers of plastic. Check the countries of origin next time you’re in the supermarket. When you buy local produce it is likely that a decent percentage of it has had a short field-to-fork journey. In the case of The Pantry, everything has grown on the Isle of Wight with some of it appearing in the shop having been still growing that very same morning. It’s also pleasing to find that, like for like, prices are much as you’d expect to pay in a supermarket. Along with supporting local farmers, it means the food is likely to contain more nutrients and will always have less packaging.

Believe it or not, research has also found that thriving local shops also lead to an increase in local property values.

So, if you live within the 30mph limit, pull on your coat and shoes and take a walk down to the village. The walk will do you good and you will find many friendly faces. If you are a little further afield, we do have a free car park, so there is no excuse.