Community Shop, the UK’s first social supermarket chain, has been awarded £600,000 of funding from the Big Lottery Fund to kick start works at its new site in Grimsby. 

Set to be the fourth Community Shop store, the site at the Centre4 regeneration hub in Grimsby will join the network alongside existing sites in Athersley, Goldthorpe and West Norwood in Lambeth, London. 

The UK’s largest redistributor of surplus stock, Company Shop, founded the social enterprise Community Shop in 2013. It offers surplus food from the manufacturing supply chain to its members at discount prices. The stores are open to individuals living in areas of deprivation and in receipt of welfare support.

The revenue raised from food sales are invested into Community Hub, where members gain access to mentoring, advice, skills and business courses and hot meals cooked from surplus in the community kitchen. 

Local MP Melanie Onn joined Young’s Seafood, Sealord Caistor Limited, founder of Community Shop John Marren and head of Community Shop Gary Stott to mark the start of the building works on Thursday March 9. 

Marren said: “We are so excited to be opening our new Community Shop in Grimsby, a town with a rich food heritage. We are very grateful for all of the support we have received from North East Lincolnshire Council and the Big Lottery Fund, which has been transformative. We would also like to thank Melanie Onn MP, local food businesses and Centre4 for welcoming us with open arms.” 

Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimsby, said: “I am delighted that Community Shop is on its way to opening in Grimsby. It will help to provide low-cost, wholesome food, and will have a huge positive impact on the lives of the members and the wider community. It is brilliant to see local food businesses have pledged their support, and I am confident that Community Shop will flourish.”