Thanking Uffington’s long-serving shopkeepers

Round & About

Village raises £2,000 to honour retiring Post Office couple after 28 years’ service.

After 28 years of dedication, dependable service and countless acts of quiet kindness, David and Rose Holborow — the much-loved team behind Uffington’s Post Office and shop — are retiring on 1 December. Their departure marks the end of an era for the village, and the community has responded with gratitude, warmth and a heartfelt financial send-off. 

Residents gathered on Friday 21 November at the Fox and Hounds pub, where parish councillor Mike Oldnall presented the couple with over £2,000 raised through a village collection, along with a framed photograph of the shop they poured their lives into for nearly three decades. “I’m delighted we could raise so much,” he said. “Rose and Dave are planning to use the funds towards a memorable railway journey holiday.” 

The Holborows took over the shop in 1997 and have been the heartbeat of Uffington ever since. Their commitment to the community never faltered — not during break-ins, not during snowstorms, not even during the height of the Covid pandemic. They set up a volunteer team to ensure the vulnerable had essential supplies, provided Post Office services on Sundays, and even acted as a vital prescription collection point in a village without its own doctors’ surgery. 

For many elderly residents, the shop has been more than a place to buy provisions; it has been a source of company, reassurance and connection. One villager shared, “I sometimes go to the shop just to see a friendly face. I’ve felt so much less isolated knowing it’s there.” 

Though villagers are sad to see them go, their legacy is deeply woven into the village fabric. The shop will continue under new ownership from December 2025 — but David and Rose’s years of kindness, service and community spirit will be fondly remembered for many years to come.