A Cambridgeshire village – with a population of less than 1,000 – could shortly see the return of a local shop. Retail entrepreneur Raju Goraniya has bought the Nags Head at Eastrea near Whittlesey and plans to convert the former public house into a local convenience store.
The pub closed last year and was put up for sale with offers around £295,000.
The village name of Eastrea derives from Eastern Isle when much of the area was still under way – these days it’s a small village surrounded by shops.
Nearby Coates could shortly have a Co-op store and just down the road towards Whittlesey Aldi has recently opened.
Mr Goraniya appears not to have been put off by the proposal with an application to Fenland District Council to expand his small chain of stores.
“Located less than a mile from 450+ new homes,” may be one of the reasons he was attracted to the empty pub but a busy A605 is probably another. He has set out in plans to the council a refreshed car park adjacent to the pub.
FACT FILE
Eastrea lies approximately two miles east of Whittlesey on the A605.
Probably most famous for the Eastrea Centre which opened in 2013 after a 68-year campaign for a village hall. A villager began the campaign by opening a village hall savings account in January 1945 with just £1.
In 1771 a fire destroyed most of the village.
Nags Head at Eastrea near Whittlesey that could shortly be a new convenience store.
