A VILLAGE store has celebrated its grand opening with the National Lottery after securing a grant following a long-running saga to save the service.

The Gosfield Community Shop welcomed guests to its grand opening ceremony last week, finally celebrating with those who helped make the dream to keep it open come true.

Building work on the new shop began in October and was finally completed at the beginning of May, when the shop celebrated a 'soft' relaunch.

Shop volunteers and residents had staged a long-running campaign to keep it open and are delighted to see it come to fruition.

The store was operating from a portable building in the village playing field car park.

Planning permission was granted by Braintree Council on the understanding the shop would operate from a permanent base rather than from a temporary building.

The shop secured permission to build an extension to the sports pavilion as its permanent home, but construction had to begin by October last year with an enforcement to close order looming.

It was estimated it would cost well over £100,000, so the committee applied for a National Lottery grant, which was successful.

On Friday, the shop welcomed Jaymie-Lee Tapsell, who is the Essex and Herts funding officer for the National Lottery Community Fund which supported the project.

Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Essex Dave Monk praised the “exceptional community spirit of the village”.

Both were on hand to cut the ribbon after a speech from committee chairman Brian Payne.

About 70 Gosfield residents were on hand with other special guests to celebrate the grand opening.

Refreshments were also served after the ceremony in the pavilion and a marquee on the playing field.

Mr Payne said: “It was a great day. Thank you to Jaymie-Lee and Dave for coming down.

"We invited all the shareholders and people who made donations, and I thanked them all for coming.

"I also thanked all those who put on events to help us, such as the golf day and the Halstead Rotary Club quiz night.

"The shop has been going really well since we opened and we are delighted."