PEOPLE in a tiny village are trying to raise £100,000 to keep their community shop and post office open.

They want to buy and renovate an old barn to house the facility in Oake and a sub committee has been set up to apply for lottery funding.

The current shop will have to move from its existing site in an extension to a bungalow, its home for around 50 years, within 18 months.

Villagers concerned that they could lose the store turned out in force at a public meeting on Friday to support the plan.

The shop and post office was transferred to a community benefit society five years ago by the bungalow owner, who wanted to retire - the five year lease runs out this months and he has agreed to extend it for a further 18 months.

Alex Antill, chairman of the sub committee, said: "The existing committees want to give up when the current lease expires at the end of this month and a number of others have put our hands up and said we want to save the shop.

Somerset County Gazette:

Alex Antill.

"We recognise that we have to find alternative premises and the best option is the barn in front of the village hall, although it's going to cost around £100,000 to buy and convert."

Contact has already been made with the Post Office and as well as applying for lottery cash, the project is also being supported by locals.

The barn is presently used as a store by the primary school and the committee will have to pay for alternative accommodation for those items.

"We're determined to keep the shop open," said Mr Antill.

"If we don't the nearest post offices are in Wiveliscombe, Wellington or Staplegrove, and that's a long way to go for some people to pick up their pensions or take out cash.

"The shop isn't viable in its current premises because it's not big enough to generate sufficient profit and we'd be able to offer a larger retail area in the barn and other things like tea and coffee."

More than 60 people attended Friday's meeting and voted overwhelmingly to support efforts to keep the shop and post office in the village.