Jim and Dave Bray have owned and run the Barley Shop for the last 12 years, with Jim looking after the Post Office and Dave the rest of the shop. Jim is assisted in the Post Office by Angela Coxall (from Great Chishill) and Dave has Linda and Lisa helping during the week and help from casual staff at the weekends.

The shop is a huge asset to us because of its close proximity to our villages, its friendly service and that special personal touch that is so hard to find these days. A village shop is so much more than a food outlet, and we would all do well to remember this and use the Barley shop as much as we can to keep it open.

Dave gained his retail experience and expertise whilst working in Gateway (which used to be where Morrisons is now). The shop, whilst maintaining its independence, is a member of the Londis buying group, which purchases stock in bulk to supply to small shops, thus keeping costs down as much as possible. One advantage of being independent is that Dave can source products from a range of suppliers, so that we can buy real quality goods that are not available in the supermarkets. An example of this is the range of pork products such as bacon and pies which he buys in from a butcher in Essex who trades under the name of ‘Quality and Excellence’ (the dry smoked back bacon is cheaper than Tesco’s Finest version!), and more excellent bacon and pork products, (including Bar-B-Q food in the summer), from Wicks Manor Farm in Essex . Russells Meat of Meldreth supplies the shop with main cuts of meat , and Lindsay of Potton supplies fresh bread. In addition to this, the shop also has a ‘bake off’ facility using the quality supplier ‘Cuisine de France’. Fresh fruit and vegetables are supplied by Fieldgate Nurseries in Meldreth, further supporting local business. The shop carries a range of fresh cakes, locally baked and supplied by Bury Farm at Nuthamsted.

The shop has been refitted several times in the time that the Bray’s have been there, and it currently has freezers with the usual range of frozen products, ready meals and pizzas, chilled cabinets with the meat and meat products and a wide range of dairy products and a nice selection of cool wines and beers. In addition to all these things, the shop also sells fresh sandwiches, newspapers and magazines, coal and logs. They will even loan wine glasses! Cresta of Cambridge supply an excellent 3 day Dry Cleaning Service, with collections and deliveries to and from the shop on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The shop is open

7am to 7pm Monday to Friday
7am to 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

You can use Debit and Credit cards and top up your mobile phone.

Barley Shop is a huge asset to Barley and our villages, and it is in our interests to support it by using it as often as we can.