Many villagers remember Mrs Leach’s shop which she ran for around 50 years until the 1970s.  This description paints a vivid picture.

It was the perfect village shop – wholesome scent as you entered.  Mrs Leach always there behind the counter to greet you with a warm smile and ready to give you her undivided attention, ready to attend to your every need – made you feel welcome, as if you were her most valued customer.  You, in turn, would treat her with the respect due to the lady (in every sense of the word) owner of the shop.

Everything one needed was there from a sheet of pins, needles, cottons, wool for knitting and darning, ribbon, socks, dusters, shelves stacked with every sort of tin and packet from baked beans to Bisto.  Floor space filled with sacks and baskets of this and that.  Toiletries.  Glass jars on the counter filled with tempting Bull’s Eyes and Pear Drops and Toffees.  Sugar was carefully weighed out into stout blue paper bags.  Bacon sliced to your required thickness.

Wednesday was half day, but the shop was open all day Saturday.