Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
11
Feb
Couple at heart of Nidderdale community put village shop up for sale
Residents of a Nidderdale village are facing the end of an era, as the couple who have run the village shop and post office for two decades have put the business up for sale.
Matthew and Andrea Walwyn took over Dale Stores in Birstwith in April 2006 and have developed it into a thriving business that remains a cornerstone of village life.
As well as its post office counter, it is a general store, off licence, delicatessen and bakery.
In 2021, the business even won a Countryside Alliance Award – also known as a “rural Oscar” – as the UK’s Best Village Shop/Post Office. It was praised for its “great service and great produce”, and for serving as a vital lifeline during the covid pandemic.
Announcing the sale on Facebook post, the couple wrote:
This hasn’t been an easy decision, but it feels like the right time for our family and for the next chapter of the shop.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Mr Walwyn said:
We’re both nearly 60, and 20 years is a nice milestone to have achieved, so we just feel it’s time to do something different with our lives.
Asked what kind of person he would like to see take the business on, he said:
We’ve got to be very particular about who we sell it to. We’d like it to be someone who will embrace the community. We’ve built up a bit of a legacy here, and we don’t want the business to fail, so it’s got to be right.
It’s not an easy job – it's long hours – but it’s a very enjoyable job.
The main challenge will be to keep it fresh – to bring in new ideas and keep innovating. We need someone to take it on and impose their own personality on it.
Dale Stores’ listing with Christie & Co advertises the business as an “award-winning village store and post office” in an “unopposed North Yorkshire village location”.
It says it turns over £13,000 weekly, and has potential to grow through extended trading.
The asking price of £775,000 plus stock at valuation includes the four-bedroom accommodation where the Walwyns currently live.
Asked what the best part of running Dale Stores had been, Mr Walwyn said:
Definitely the people – we’ve got some great friends here.
We’ve been sharing people’s lives, which has been a privilege. We’ve been there for them in the bad times and celebrated with them in the good times – and it’s been great fun.
0