THE return of a village shop to All Cannings is likely to happen by Christmas. The All Cannings Community Store Association has raised about a third of the amount needed to open a store.

The association's fund-raising target is £37,500 and is awaiting answers on applications it has made to organisations for grants towards the group's total.

Chairman Peter Cooper said: "We are hopeful of raising the amount we need but it is very slow going. One major source of Government grant that we applied for in April has only just referred our application to its committee for consideration.

"So we are resigned to sitting and waiting until the other side of the holiday period before we can make real progress.

"Our original aim of an opening in September now looks more realistically like a Christmas opening."

Mr Cooper said the project had support from villagers with shelving donated and numerous offers of free labour to convert the temporary building into the shop.

The association has now been incorporated as a not for profit organisation and has 135 shareholders, about a third of the adult population of All Cannings.

The association received planning permission from Kennet District Council's regulatory committee last week for the shop to be housed in a temporary building in the village hall car park.

All Cannings lost its village store and post office two and a half years ago.