THE underground shop in Exbourne was officially opened last week, marking a historic and celebratory day for the village.

The Burrow, located in the heart of the village, was officially opened last Friday after nine years of tireless fundraising and hard work to get the project completed. The shop opened for trading on June 25.

The shop provides villagers with post office services, a café, book exchange, internet access and a prescription collection point as well as a place to pick up groceries and household goods. The underground shop has been built into the side of a hill, and has a wildflower meadow on its roof.

Marie Winckler, chair of the Exbourne and Jacobstowe Community Association, said: 'It is a fantastic facility here for the village, and since we started trading business and the community response has been very good, and we are not even fully stocked yet.'

Keri Quertier, publicity officer for the shop, said: 'Things at the Burrow are great.

'We have been very well supported since opening, particularly the café. It is very satisfying to see the shop, having worked so hard to get the project off the ground.

'Everyone has been so positive and there has been so much support from the villagers, and the turnout today is great.'

Attending the opening alongside members of the community were Central Devon MP Mel Stride, and chairman of Devon County Council, Cllr Jerry Brook.

Mr Stride said: 'I have been to this site before when it was just a hole in the ground.

'Now, what an excellent building and feeling there is here.

'For an underground shop, it is so light and inviting in here.

'To me, communities are certainly collections of memories of the past. Equally important is what we do in the present, and perhaps even more important, is what we lay down for the future.

'Something has been laid down for the future here in Exbourne.

'You see many community shops disappearing. Some communities step back and watch it happen.

'Some communities, like here in Exbourne, step up to the plate, fight back, and make something truly wonderful happen for themselves.'

Exbourne and Jacobstowe Community Association, the democratically controlled organisation that owns the shop, amassed almost £50,000 for the project through various fundraising events, including quizzes, sales and community markets.

The project also received grants from Devon County Council, West Devon Borough Council, the Greater Dartmoor LEAF, the Trusthouse Foundation, CORE, the Tudor Trust and other foundations, and has received backing from the Plunkett Foundation, which supports rural self-help community projects, and a number of other organisations.

A £90,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund's Local Food programme last April brought the project to its £320,000 target to get the shop up and running.

The opening signifies the end of a long journey for the association, who have been running a village shop in the village hall for the past decade following the closure of the village post office in December 2001.

Many volunteer hours were spent putting up and taking down displays.

At night, all stock had to be put away in a store cupboard. The Burrow erases these problems with its spacious shop and external courtyard.

The first spade went into the ground in September 2011, with building work taking place over the past few months.

Now open, the shop will aim to sell as much local produce as possible, aiming to source fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and cakes from within 15 miles of the village.