In 1970, after selling their Newsagents Business in the local village of Warmington, Freda and Stan Smith purchased No 52 Main street (previously occupied by Esther Bates).  They then applied for planning permission to erect a building on the end of the property to house a shop and this was opened in 1971.

The shop worked well on a small scale providing everyday essentials for locals and passing trade.  However, the early 1970’s were difficult times for small traders – some of the problems being:-

• The introduction of VAT
• Electricity being rationed and coal was in short supply as a result of the miners’ strikes (leading to a 3 day working week being imposed by the Government).
• A sugar shortage due to reduced sugar cane imports from the Caribbean – sugar was only available from large supermarket type shops which rationed customers to a certain amount of bags per purchase.
• More large supermarkets were opening.

Mr & Mrs Smith were concerned about the implications of all the above events and were considering closing the shop when they were burgled and their entire stock of cigarettes were taken overnight.  That action sealed the fate of Woodnewton’s Village Shop and it closed in1975.

2018