PEOPLE in Brent Knoll and East Brent are being asked if they support a plan to save their village shop.

Brent Knoll Village Shop is threatened with closure, but a lifeline is being suggested with the community stepping in to run the facility.

An online questionnaire is attracting strong levels of response.

Brent Knoll Parish Council has now agreed to fund the printing and distribution of a paper version of the survey, which seeks to establish whether there is sufficient support for the village shop to be taken on as a community business.

The questionnaires will be distributed door-to-door later this month.

Further copies will be available from the village shop, the village school and two local pubs.

Completed questionnaires should be deposited by the deadline of March 7 in boxes at the shop, the school and the local pubs.

If the results show sufficient support, including a willingness to help as volunteers, as investing members and as customers, the project can proceed with help from the Plunkett Foundation, which has already backed 300 village community shops.

The shop is currently on reduced opening hours and likely to close in the coming months if nothing is done. The Post Office has already suspended operations.

Meanwhile, Brent Knoll Parish Council’s latest meeting also agreed grant funding for three charities providing local services.

Re-Engage, which arranges regular tea-parties for isolated elderly residents, was awarded £200, while Citizens’ Advice and Mendip Community Transport were both awarded £100.