A THRIVING store in Tytherington has been awarded nearly £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund for a much-needed revamp.

Volunteers at Tytherington Village Shop have received a £9,000 boost to take the store to the next level and are wasting no time to put their improvement plans into action.

Top of the list is giving the venue a much-needed spruce—its first major refurbishment since its launch 15 years ago--as well as expanding its customer car park.

Daphne Brown, store committee chairman, told the Gazette the Tytherington Village Shop's 30-strong team was delighted with the funding.

"We are pleased," she said. "We applied in October as part of the fast track programme. We’ve been going 15 years. We are going to refurbish the shop and improve and extend the car park and put outside seating and make it look a bit more inviting."

The majority of villagers own the shop and as shareholders have a say in how it is run.

The sum will also help the shop grow and pay for the day-to-day costs of running a post office.

The village post office reopened in 2009 after a vigorous campaign by residents with the support of local MP Steve Webb and South Glouncestershire Council.

The local authority agreed to contribute to the project for three years. With the funding period now over, it is up to volunteers to pick up the baton and generate enough income from the shop—around £5,000 each year-- to keep the post office up and running.

"We need to grow the business further to support our post office in the long term. We are confident we can do it," Mrs brown added.

To boost the store’s profile, the committee will also invest in some permanent signs, to put quite literally the popular business on the local map. Part of the grant will also go towards setting up a terrace for customers to enjoy their food in the fresh air.

Thornbury and Yate MP Steve Webb welcomed the improvements in perspective.

"The local team deserve great credit for their efforts in fundraising and their vision for the future," he said. "A few years ago it looked as though a post office was gone for good and now we have an expanding shop and sub post office which is looking to the future."