National accolade for popular corner shop (From Gazette & Herald)

National accolade for popular corner shop

A SECOND North Yorkshire newsagent is up for a major award in a contest run by a national magazine.

Country Living magazine was hugely impressed by Rillington's Village Stores and by other finalists in the competition which it ran to promote rural shops.

Standards were so high in its newsagent of the year awards that Country Living has now decided to run a second competition between the runners-up to decide who should take second place to Elvington Village Stores, which has already been declared the winner.

The news has delighted staff at Rillington Village Stores, whose many services include a post office counter.

"We're not a typical village store," said proprietor Andy Molloy. "We do a lot more. We have a Christmas showroom on the first floor at the moment and in the summer we used it as a showroom for local arts and crafts."

Mr Molloy also helps organise a number of events in the village to keep children occupied in the school holidays, including a Christmas decoration competition and a toy boat race in the village stream.

"The shop is an important part of village life and we are really pleased to have received a national accolade. It's good for us and for the village," he said.

Updated: 12:12 Thursday, November 13, 2003