A VILLAGE shop in Herefordshire has warned it could close if more people don’t step forward to help run it.

The shop in Eardisland has been open for more than 10 years in the picturesque village on the banks of the river Arrow near Leominster, but slashed its opening hours because of a shortage of volunteers.

It warned in a village magazine that closure could be on the cards if more people did not come forward to help, but Phil Milchard, whose wife is chairman of the trustees, said he didn’t think it would come to that.

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Based in a 17th-century Dovecote on the riverside, he said the shop had been there for 11 years and would be there for, hopefully, another 11.

He said the shop was only open from 8am until midday on Mondays to Saturdays because of a lack of volunteers.

Before the coronavirus pandemic it used to be open until 4pm during the winter months, and 5pm over the summer, but the virus had been a reason behind some volunteers feeling unable to carry on helping out.

Mr Milchard said there had been more volunteers over recent months, but with students returning to full-time education among reasons, numbers dwindled.

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He said as the shop relied on volunteers it had been “a wake-up call”.

Selling the essentials to save locals a 10-mile round trip to Leominster, he didn’t think the shop’s future was directly under threat, but volunteers were needed urgently to cover as little as an hour a week.

Mr Milchard, who is also organising Saturday’s craft fair with 47 stalls, said anyone who could help should call 01544 388984 or email eardisland shop@gmail.com.