Here you will find out about the latest news regarding the store.
We are looking for a Bentley resident to volunteer to keep our web site up to date. if you are interested please email info@bentleystores.co.uk.
In the meantime the best way to discover our community shop with its 1500 stock items is to visit us !!!!
9 to 5 Monday to Friday, 9 to 12 noon Saturday and Sunday.
For a complete set of photos, please see our gallery page.
LATEST NEWS
An interview on the opening of the store by BBC Radio Suffolk
An interview with Zoe Mobley Treasurer of Bentley Stores on BBC Radio Suffolk
WE ARE OPEN!
Come in and take a look around at your new community shop.
Our opening times
We are open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 12 noon Saturday and Sunday.
Our Buyers cover:
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,
Newspapers,
Meat,
Tinned foods,
Beverages Tea Coffee soft drinks,
Household supplies,
Pickles, Jams and Sauces,
Cereals,
Confectionery,
Cake ingredients,
Free range Eggs,
Personal Hygiene,
Pet foods,
Stationary,
Medical items,
Wholefoods,
Ice Cream.
Thank you for your support and if you hear of anyone else who would like to help us in any way please ask them to contact any of us on the management group or Please reply as soon as possible to info@bentleystores.co.uk or 01473 310182 thank you.
We welcome your suggestions and ideas to make Bentley Stores as good as possible.
If you have not volunteered already there are so many ways you could help us.
We want it to be the sort of shop that you would want to use !
Bentley Stores’ telephone number is: 01473 310182
THE STORE BUILDING NEWS
The re-siting of the existing shed and ground clearance was started in early Feb 2016. (Click on images for full size version)
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- Original shed will require re-siting.
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- Existing structure and fence.
On Monday 15th February 2016, the ground was broken for
building work to commence on the new store.
Ground breaking ceremony.
Alena Hunter from Bentley School dug the first spade of earth for the foundations of the new shop building. In the background are Gordon Jones (County Councillor), Mike Bamford (chairman of Bentley Parish Council), and the shop management group, with David Clements of DC Construction Ltd in the background.
Groundwork’s commence mid February 2016, JCB digs footings for the store’s foundation.
With Service pipes in place the concrete is poured along with footings for the store.
Concrete for footings arrives on site.
The end of February sees the concrete for store Footings and base completed, a short drying out period is required before the brickwork can commence.
Workman working on services.
The Breeze block and brick work are completed and a pre-cast concrete floor is laid for the shop floor. The erection of scaffolding has begun.
Stores concrete floor.
Early March 2016 and the scaffolding is now in place to allow the timber frame to be installed and the materials for this section of work have now arrived on site.
Timber frame and roof trusses arrive on site.
The timber frame and membrane have been completed and the roof trusses are also now in situ. (Click on images for full size version)
It’s nearly the end of March and already the roof tiles are completed the colour compliments the existing pub roof very nicely.
With the roof now water proof, work can start in earnest on the inside of the store. Wall insulation, roof insulation and even first fix electrics are all completed and were now in early April (good timing considering the recent wet weather).
Insulation in place and the shape of the ceiling is revealed.
View of kitchen (left), toilet (right) and main entrance to the store.
Work continues on the outside of the store with the fascia and soffits being installed along with the fixings for the guttering.
UPDATE – HALFWAY THERE!
10th April 2016. It’s incredible to think that we nearly lost the pub to developers and a dozen homes in the summer of 2013 and through the shear grit & determination of this community, it was saved and the purchase of successfully agreed on 13th January 2014. Only a couple of years ago, and now we, the community of Bentley are fully supporting the building of our own community village store. This photo says to us, look at the community spirit of Bentley, it’s very much alive and kicking! We love living in our village and were extremely proud of what we can achieve together. We have absolutely no doubt that many of its residents feel exactly the same way.
Two buildings of very differing times, but both are ensuring that the heart of our community stays right here, right now and for the secure future of our village.
As the building of the store continues, its getting tantalisingly close to see how the finished building will look. The work on the cladding of the outside has now started and this gives us our first real idea of what the outside of the building will look like when finished.
External cladding of the shop commences.
With the scaffolding now removed, the external cladding of the store continues.
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- External cladding continues.
The internal walls are now fully lined and ready for plastering, the ceiling is insulated and the air conditioning unit is installed.
Its now the end of April and the store is completely clad on the external walls.
On Saturday 30th April, a number of the management group were invited by Chris Pink aka ‘Pinky the Printer’ to the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket to see for themselves how the printing of bags for shop customers will be produced.
The bags will be printed by hand on a Queen printing press manufactured by J. R. & A. Ransome of Ipswich around 1840. Thanks to Pinky and the Museum, it’s amazing to think that our printing of the bags will be done by a very rare machine over 170 years old!
There will be a card delivered to each house in Bentley and upon presentation of the card along with a spend of more than £5 in the the store, you will be able to collect your free Bentley Stores grocery bag. Only one free bag per household otherwise they will be available in store for purchase.
Each of the management group were invited to print their own bag as well as a short tour of the Museum. There are lots more photos in the gallery and we would highly recommend a visit to the Museum of East Anglian Life to take a step back in time to a bygone era.
Early May and the inside of the store is progressing nicely, the ceiling is painted and lights installed. The walls are painted and fitted with the support track that will hold the shelving and the floor is ready for the floor covering to be laid.
It’s the end of May 2016 and just one more week and all of the building work for the store will be completed, another milestone reached. Only the connection of the electricity remains to be done & 6 weeks until the store opens. Lots of work inside the store still to do but we are confident the store will open on time on the 14th July 2016.
Early June and the work progresses on the inside of the store as does the work on the fittings and fixtures for the store. Here are a few photo’s of the store’s counter which is being hand made in the village.
The new counter is now in situ at the store and looks perfect for the job. The decision is now being made on the type of shelving to be used.
Very close to completion now, as you cane see from the latest pictures below, the shelving has been completed and the work of filling them with the new stock has started.
UPDATE – WE MADE IT!
It was ‘all hands on deck’ but with the sterling efforts made by the store management group and the hard work & determination of the volunteers, friends and family members we made it! The store was opened by Clare, Countess of Euston, HM Lord Lieutenant for Suffolk and was very well attended by many of the village. A big thank you to those who came in early to open the Case is altered and for those who lent a helping hand from there.
Here is a small selection of the pictures taken on the day.
