SOLUTIONS TO MAKE RURAL SHOPS SURVIVE by Bitti Alvin Lehmann | bitti.alvinlehmann@soderhamn.se
Photo: Joachim Kloock
In the SARURE project which stands for Save Rural Retail, the main aim is to find feasible solutions to make rural shops survive. People in depopulated areas need a place to meet and here the local shop is a very important social hub that contributes to the quality of life. It also encourages the population to stay in the area and are a prerequisite for the development of other diversification activities. The Municipality of Söderhamn is one of the project partners in SARURE and are in progress of developing Service Points in the rural areas. The Service Point is functioning as a hub where the local community can do their errands, meet for a cup of coffee, use the public computer, take part in activities and get general information. One location for all services The main aim is to expand the service level and collect several services in one location. A Service Point is mainly located in the local shop where the inhabitants do their grocery shopping. The shop also becomes the natural meeting point in the village for the local community as well as for tourists and visitors in the area. It is the place you go to find what you need in terms of information and services. The Municipality is appointing the Service Point to do several services on behalf of the Municipality for a recompense. One of the services provided in the Service Point are home delivery of food to the local households.
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This means that the customer places an order to the shop and the shop delivers the groceries to the customer’s home. Both citizens and businesses profit When the Covid-19 pandemic became a reality we could quickly see that this service became a necessity for both the citizen in the municipality, but also for the business owner. When the customer couldn´t come to the store, the store must find new ways. Especially for the grocery stores on the countryside where you don´t have the steady flow of walk in customers in the same way as you have in a shop located in the city. For these stores this has become the way of survival in many ways. Now all our rural shops are providing home delivery service with great success.
