A COMMUNITY company in Oxton has been given permission for creating a new shop on the side of the village hall.

Oxton Community Development Company opened its own shop following the closure of the village store in 2018.

And it has traded from a portable cabin for the past 18 months.

But this week a planning application to build an extension onto the village hall to cater for the community shop has been approved.

Planning officer Julie Hayward, who approved the application, said: "The extension would provide a village shop, meeting room, kitchen and toilets.

"The shop would have a glazed window and entrance, the walls would be brick and grey cladding and the flat roof would be single ply membrane."

The village shop closed at the start of 2018, forcing villagers into a 10-mile round trip to Lauder for basic groceries and essentials.

Following a well-attended public meeting in the same year villagers agreed to open their own community store.

With the help of windfarm grants, a small portacabin was purchased, stocked and positioned in the village.

And for the past 18 months a group of around 10 volunteers has kept the village's 650 residents supplied with groceries and other essential items.

Turnover at the community store has increased from just over £1,000 last April to October's £8,900.

Although the community shop has been a success story since opening in 2018 - now turning over almost £9,000 per month - a share offer was launched in December to help provide an even greater variety of stock

Actor Jack Lowden returned to his home village to help launch the share offer.

The star of Dunkirk, Tommy's Honour, Fighting with My Family and Mary Queen of Scots, said: "When the village shop closed almost two years ago it was a blow for everyone who lives in Oxton.

"Thankfully the community rallied round and managed to provide a well-stocked store which saves everyone quite a drive.

"Oxton is a lovely little village and it needs a store."

The War Memorial Village Hall was opened in 1924.