Research across Wiltshire has revealed that its village shops not only enjoy strong demand for essential products and services, but they play an important role in community life.

The report, commissioned by Co-operative Futures, Community First and Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire, investigated the long-term viability and support needs of village shops in the county.

Research among village shops, shoppers and suppliers around the county was conducted. Results indicate.:

Forty per cent of Wiltshire's village shop users say they shop there everyday, spending between £5 and £15 each week.

Ninety per cent of people claim that it is very important to have a post office/store, compared with just 64 per cent for pubs or 52 per cent for banking.

Despite 52 per cent of those surveyed knowing that supermarkets can be cheaper, the quality of goods and services make Wiltshire's village shops more highly rated.

Each village shop employs an average of five full or part-time staff.

Wiltshire's village shops were clearly recognised as important meeting places and critical in the development of community spirit.

The research also revealed that community-owned village shops could sustain village retailing in the future.

Just two social enterprise shops exist in Wiltshire but the quality of service and goods in these shops resulted in them enjoying more shopper visits per household and achieving the highest levels of household spending compared with independently owned village shops.

Jane Ryall, who co-ordinated the research, said: "This very clear vote of support for the village retail environment underlines the importance of developing this section.

"The next stage will be to work with economic development and business support agencies to provide support services which help Wiltshire's village shops grow for the good of the local economy and community."