A VILLAGE near Chepstow which is fighting to open a shop for the first time in more than two years is hoping for a cash boost from the rural affairs ministry.

But while many villagers wait to see if Defra (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) will give them the grant they want, they are busy preparing a showpiece food fair to promote the scheme.

On April 21, Brockweir will host its own mini version of the Forest Food Fair.

Visitors to Brockweir's Mackenzie Hall will be able to see and try a range of locally produced foods and drinks which will be on sale in the new shop when it opens.

Alan Clarke, chairman of the Brockweir and Hewelsfield Community Shop Association, said: "We hope to have the shop open by the end of this year and we shall be promoting a range of the foods we shall be stocking.

"We have got a significant grant application in with Defra and it is going as well as we can expect at the moment. The whole project will cost £250,000 and we hope that a lot of that will come from a Defra grant.

"It is more than just a shop we are planning. It will also be a cafe with an internet suite upstairs. That will also be used as an outreach training centre for various institutions including the Royal Forest of Dean College.

"We shall also have a link with the Gloucestershire Library Service. People will be able to order books and collect them from there.

"We also plan to have recycling facilities. There is going to be a strong emphasis on providing local foods rather than the things we can find at all the national supermarket chains.

"We really want to support the local rural economy."

The scheme to provide a new shop was launched after the previous village store closed down. The community of 400 has been fund-raising itself over the last few months.

The new premises will be built on the village playing field and will house a shop, post office, small cafe and patio.

There will also be room for crafts such as pottery and paintings.

Mr Clarke said: "The nearest towns are Monmouth and Chepstow, both about eight miles away. Something had to be done, really."

The new shop will be in a timber-framed building, based on Scandinavian design, which it is hoped will also become the new social heart of the village.

* Admission to the food fair will be free and it will run from 10.30am to 4pm.

*In the picture: Ruth Bevans and Alan Clarke at the site where they hope a shop will be built.