Final shop gone for Ruardean

The village of over 1000 residents is facing significant change as its last remaining store has closed its doors permanently.

This closure comes after the previous placement for the store was also converted into housing a few years ago, now leaving the residents of the small village in the Forest of Dean without a local grocery store. 

This conversion has mainly affected the older residents, who had heavily relied on this store, ‘Bare Necessities’, for not only their essentials but social interactions too. With the majority of households being pensioners, 22% of which do not have access to a car, this lack of local stores is a significant issue. 

The nearest shop is a 45-minute walk away from the centre of Ruardean, along a steep hill, which isn’t the most accessible. From the 2021 census, there were 99 people within the village, from ages 16 to 64, who have limiting long-term illnesses, which just draws attention to that fact that this community needs more accessible services and resources. 

A lifelong resident, Margret, aged 86, has shared her feelings behind this change: “When our last shop closed down, it felt like the heart of our village had been taken away. I fear we’re losing a part of our community’s soul bit by bit.”

In 2014, the small store had moved down the road in order to extend the range of goods that they sold, and the original building had been made into housing. Unfortunately, this placement didn’t last long, as in July 2022, they had temporarily closed – remaining shut even 2 years later.

Since its closure, the building – London House – has been marketed by Ferrino and Partners as a “great family home or investment opportunity”. Planning permission has been granted for the former store to be turned to a residential dwelling.

It is currently under offer, with the selling price of £399,999.

Betty, a retired schoolteacher from the area, has shared that since the store had closed down, she has had to learn how to the online delivery service from Tesco. 

“When Bare Necessities closed down, it was a real blow, especially since I don’t have a car to drive into the nearest town. I’ve had to learn how to use online food delivery from Tesco’s, which has been quite the challenge. It’s not the same as popping into the shop and seeing familiar faces, but I’m grateful for the delivery service.”