A CLOSURE-threatened New Forest village post office and shop could be saved by villagers who are investigating a community takeover.

The plan to save Pilley Post Office comes at the time the Royal Mail is considering the future provision of Post Offices across the country.

An announcement about those to be closed in Hampshire is due to be made this month.

Last week concerned people from Pilley and Boldre packed the village hall to discuss the future of Pilley Stores and Post Office following manager Jim Gibb's advanced notice of his January retirement.

Many residents had previously responded to a questionnairne and offered to help keep the business, a vital part of the community, open.

Some offered interest-free loans and donations, more than 50 said they were prepared to buy shares, 23 volunteered to help run it, and pledges to buy there exceeded £20,000 a year.

New Forest district ward councillor Colin Wise said ongoing viability was the key and for the plan to succeed more people would have to shop there.

"The existing turnover, even with the pledged purchases added, would not be sufficient to break even but with a greater stock on offer it was thought that this might be possible," he said.

He warned the way ahead would not be easy.

"A community shop association would have to be established and grants obtained to finance the project.

"A business plan providing for a greater range of stock with new products to draw customers in also had to be put together."

Cllr Wise and six residents: Jan Rimbault, Bernard Atkinson, Nick Olney, Wendy Shepherd and Fiona Green, have been appointed to the managing committee to take the project forward.

Mr Gibb told the Daily Echo: "The only thing I am confident about is that I'm going to retire in January."

There is a success story at Woodgreen near Fordingbridge where the village shop and post office was taken over by the Woodgreen Community Shop Association on January 1.

Merryl Corby, who works there, said: "It's very successful. It's a very busy shop, very well supported by the community." And association treasurer Jim Madge said it was not going to be closed in the current review.