New community shop offering discounted food to open in Hoyland’s former Co-Op

BMBC Cabinet members today (July 27) approved sub-leasing the former Co-op building which marks the first step in a plan to bring the award-winning social supermarket Community Shop to Hoyland.

Barnsley Council bought the lease for the building in February, saying at the time it was hoped the space would benefit the community.

The Co-Op, which was previously Hoyland’s Town Hall, closed in 2019.

It was due to be sold at auction in March 2021, but BMBC “negotiated an agreement to acquire it prior to the auction going ahead”.

Community Shop is a social enterprise which gives its members access to discounted food, as well as learning and development programmes as part of the Company Shop group.

It will offer residents on welfare access to discounted food that would otherwise go to waste, low-cost meals through its Community Kitchen, and advice and support on how to move back into employment through Community Hub.

Councillor Robert Frost, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “We’ve already invested £5 million into our six Principal Towns and ten Local Centres to help them thrive, with another £30 million planned over the next five years.

“Community Shop already provides an excellent service to our communities in Athersley and Goldthorpe, and it will be a fantastic addition to the high street in Hoyland. It’s about offering people a hand up, not a handout, and a community facility in an accessible location.

“The former Co-op is a very prominent building in Hoyland, and I’m delighted we have the potential to bring it back into use in such a positive way.

“It will help support people into employment, offer advice and support for people who need it, as well as providing even more reasons for people to use their local town centre.

“We’ll now work closely with Company Shop and their partners to make this ambition a reality.“

Steph McGinty, managing director, Company Shop Group, said: “We are delighted to have taken this step forward towards working with Barnsley Council to develop a Community Shop in Hoyland.

“In the coming months, we will be working with our food industry partners to bring the project through to fruition.”