Last lockdown, Woods of Whitchurch was a lifeline for local people, especially those shielding, writes Lucy Rabone.

Now, in the second lockdown, owner Lucy Gardner, partner Richy, manager Becky and the rest of the team are stepping up once again. With new plans and innovative projects, they are making sure that Woods of Whitchurch is the community hub.

I spoke to Lucy Gardner about her shop, and in particular, the new delivery service:

“When our coffee shop reopens, we will be serving food inside again. We have always done home cooked takeaway food, but with our new chef Mario, we are now doing bistro style food for collection or delivery too,” said Lucy Gardner.

“We can deliver groceries, wine and beers as well, which we can deliver to Ross, Monmouth and the surrounding villages around Whitchurch. This service is free within 5 miles of the shop (terms apply), delivery to anywhere over five miles away is £3. Deliveries will continue after lockdown, as an addition to our services.

“We thought that we needed to put this delivery service in place, as it’s getting dark and cold, and we want people to have a treat at home with family,” she added. “We’re catering for the needs of both individuals and families, as there are so many options. Times are tough, so we have made this affordable for people.

“The shop has been quieter, as we’ve had to close the coffee shop this month, but because of this, we’ve had time to start delivering. This is a way of still being able to offer employment for local people, particularly those who would have been working in the coffee shop.

“We started delivering on Saturday November 7, with lots of interest already! We’ve had so much positive feedback, and our breakfasts went down well at the weekend,” said Lucy Gardner. “A lot of people like to collect their order themselves, and browse in our new Christmas shop while they’re waiting!

“We want people to support us as a small local business, so we are supporting other small businesses wherever we can. We have had fruit and veg from Evans of Monmouth for the past 9 years. We also have wines supplied by Alan Kaye, local honey producers, beers from Kingstone Brewery and Wye Valley Brewery, and Cider from Hollow Ash Cider Farm.

“We are working very hard to adhere to all the Covid regulations, with social distancing and ensuring that collection times are staggered.

“We’re currently getting the garden ready for Spring, as an extension to the coffee shop, where we’ll have beach huts for hire,” she added.

“I’m really proud of all the staff and the way they’ve worked through the last nine months. They’ve shown real strength of character and given customers a lot of support.”