On the morning of Sunday 26th May, Minister James Browne and Cathaoirleach Pip Breen officially opened the Craanford Community Shop and Digital Hub. Located in the Parish Hall, the project was delivered with funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme from the Department of Rural and Community Development and additional funding from the Economic Development Section of Wexford County Council.
District Manager Philip Knight noted that Craanford had been without a village shop for a while, and this people meant travelling to Gorey or Camolin just to pick up a few essentials. The running of the shop “Siopa Beag” has been taken on by Eimear Whitty who stocks a wide range of local produce and store cupboard essentials as well as serving fresh coffee and teas.
The Digital Hub is a peaceful office space with generous sized desks, fast broadband, printing, tea and coffee making facilities and even an isolation pod to take any private phone calls or video conferences. Space at the Digital Hub can be booked through the Parish Hall Manager Liz Kavanagh.
Speaking on behalf of the village, Cllr Donal Kenny praised Liz Kavanagh and the Parish Hall Committee for having the foresight to go ahead with the development of the Shop and Digital Hub to provide much needed services for the community.
Cathaoirleach Pip Breen thanked those involved and said “this is a wonderful shop and Digital Hub and I’d like to thank the Elected Members and Officials who worked on this project. We hope that these projects will be well used by the local community to ensure that they continue to provide a service.”
Formally opening the Shop and Digital Hub Minister James Browne thanked Minister Heather Humprey’s for her continued support of community projects noting that she “had been a good friend to Co. Wexford.” The Minister praised the local community for embracing the project and wished them well before formally declaring the Shop and Digital Hub open.
