Thorncombe Village Shop in West Dorset

Village run shop/cafe. Has all the basics and a lot more besides, a small gift area, local artists paintings, Saturday morning egg and bacon baps, quality seasonal local produce. A very friendly atmosphere like the village shops of 50 or so years ago. Well worth a visit!

Lovely community shop, very convenient as staying in the village, good supply of food and essentials with the added bonus of a tea room. Nice friendly staff.

This lovely village shop has the best coffee around. It is served beautifully by the fantastic volunteers. Nothing is too much trouble. I’ve recommended it to so many friends and it’s now one of our go to coffee places. They so deserve their success. Cannot recommend highly enough.

I decided to walk the Liberty Trail, and was joined by my son, we stopped at Thorncombe at the end of a hard day and found the village shop. Oh wow, I have never been so welcomed outside of my own home, it was an excellent experience. Lovely coffee and local produce and not expensive, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a stop while hiking.

I went with a friend as we were staying in the village for a few days. We went 3 times during our 4 night stay. The first 2 times were to buy groceries, kindling and wood. We also bought the local Black Cow vodka made from milk whey. And can highly recommend it. Exceptionally smooth. The locals running the shop and local customers were all rather delightful, friendly, chatty and helpful. Even offered free coffee when we were drenched through after a very muddy and wet dog walk. Dogs are sadly (but wisely) not permitted in the shop. On our last visit we stayed for coffee (oat milk cappuccino and mocha), a deliciously smooth caramel slice and an 'exploding (gluten free) chocolate brownie' which was exceptionally delicious. We were brought a free festive hot chocolate snifter (Black Cow liqueur with hot chocolate) as Fridays are taster days. We sat outside the front of the shop on their little decking area with our dogs. There is also a toilet for customer use inside. A different dish daily can be reserved for a very reasonable £8 per head. An absolute must of a place to visit if you are in or near the area. Well worth it. And thanks Phil for all your helpful info and advice. We'll be coming back again.

Average, tepid coffee. Selection of goods seemed a bit pricey, clearly aimed at people with a higher disposable income. Variety of cakes / slices come across as "brought in" and not homemade as advertised. Otherwise, not too bad. Nothing to write home about.

Amazing shop! Stopped here midway through a walk and enjoyed two glorious flat whites and a lovely chat with Phil and Lynn. Really made our day to meet such welcoming people on our short stay in the area - thank you for the beer and vodka hot chocolate too! ;)

This is a shop run by a friendly and dedicated team of volunteers whose pride and passion is clear to see. What a gem of a little beating heart this shop and cafe is in Dorset. Thorncombe community run shop is slightly off the beaten track so you will either discover this little oasis by accident or plan a slight detour to enjoy some time spent here. When you arrive you may be forgiven for thinking you have entered some kind of reality tv show as, you can feel immersed in village life and instantly forget you are not just passing through. When we were there, enjoying some delicious homemade cake (made by a lady called Pam I believe, a bit of a cake making legend around these parts I believe) there were a few real characters bustling in and out with various tails of the village and the odd update on Mrs F’s leg or Mr P’s granddaughter who’s about to go on tour with some girl band or something! We were there as a break on one of the several walks that pass through or nearby the village centre (Jubilee) so we’re glad of a fresh pasty each too and some of the best coffee I’ve had for ages! They have a nice new machine and people who clearly know how to use it, my flat white was spot on and my wife’s Cappuccino was apparently delightful with cinnamon and chocolate on it, which is a thing I believe! So we enjoyed browsing the local produce (bought some local Black cow Vodka Negroni which has nearly all gone now sadly, soo good) we would have got a lot more if we had been in our car so we will return again and buy more! The balance of day to day things like fresh fruit and veggies, milk, papers etc with some really inviting specialty foods and treats for such a small shop was impressive and there was a chap called either Bill or Phil who was keen to suggest things and even offer tasters which was certainly a nice change from those soulless supermarkets and bland shops were your feel a number not a welcome guest. So, I think that will do, we will certainly return and hopefully soon. I need to by some local beers (Gyle59 brewery resides on the edge of the village too, amazing beers but no room in the rucksack this time!) Thank you Pam, thank you Bill (or Phil?) for making us feel so welcome and, for a moment, a member of your lovely community! Maybe se will sell up and move here one day and become part of the volunteer team? See you again one day.

Went to Thorncombe for a walk and found this lovely village shop which serves lovely coffee and cakes, also has some very nice produce in the shop, will be going back.

The beating heart of the village

Friendliest small village shop award should go to this community run shop served by lovely local volunteers. Some fesh produce available and hot food available once a week served on the premises. Free WiFi. Beer/wine, all reasonably priced.

My friend and I visited this lovely community shop and cafe as part of one of our walks along the Monarch's Way. It's tucked away in the village and offers a pleasant lunch option for passers-by. It's run by volunteers and we were made to feel right at home during our brief lunchtime visit.

Arrived at the shop a few minutes after the scheduled closing time but helpful staff nevertheless supplied two excellent flat whites and a delicious piece of homemade cake....whilst waiting for them we browsed the shelves and found an excellent selection of locally sourced products.....a really nice shop/cafe which is open seven days a week

A vibrant local village owned and run shop and cafe. Lovely people, informal atmosphere, all the basics and many of the luxuries. Saturday morning baps are well worth sampling! Small outdoor seating area, where dogs are welcome, in the sun for most of the day. A thriving local shop that all villages would give their eye teeth to have.

Classic village store, well stocked with an incredible range of product. Staff are all volunteers and keen to give good service. Not quite Champs Elysees but better, nice coffee served indoors or on the charming veranda-on-the-street watching typical country village life happening. Fantastic cream teas or full cooked breakfast!! Oh yes and food for the guinea pig ☺️. Lovely, why not try it.

Wonderful warm reception by all the volunteer staff when we visited whilst walking the Jubilee Trail. Great coffee in the little cafe and good selection of local ales to take on our journey. Well stocked, bright and cheerful shop, highly recommended! Martin

Excellent range of products, comfortable seating area for refreshments and a very warm welcome.

Great cycling stop. Had been turned away by Forde Abbey - don't go there if you're a cyclist, you're no longer welcome unless you pay an entrance fee. We rocked up 10 mins before closing time, but no worries, we were made to feel v welcome and a great seating outside in the sun on a quiet village road, parfait, we will return!

My partner and I went for a hike and inadvertently ended up in Thorncombe, following a wrong turn! Tired and hungry we were grateful to find this place and enjoyed a warm welcome from the volunteer staff that work there. We enjoyed fabulous coffee and cake and we purchased some local ale from the shop. We decided that a taxi would be the best way forward to get back to base but there were none available so the staff kindly offered us a lift back to our base which we gratefully accepted. Many thanks to Phil and Viv and to the third volunteer whose name we didn’t catch but who makes an excellent coffee.

A wonderfully well-stocked shop and a fantastic watering hole for walkers and cyclists.

Nice coffee, good cakes, friendly service and overall a good coffee so when out on a bike ride

Lovely friendly place, enjoyed a cuppa and bacon roll outside. Well worth a visit.

Fab Community Shop. We sat outside for coffee and an excellent Chelsea bun (which was large enough for 2 of us!) Provided with cushions and a blanket each! Friendly and we'll worth a visit!!

Lovely little shop and the bacon naps were excellent

We were directed to the village shop when out cycling, looking for somewhere to have coffee and cake. The original place we tried wouldn't serve us as - horror of horrors - we were wearing lycra! but the chap who delivered this news (company policy) told us to try the Thorncombe village shop. We were so glad we did as when we arrived, a bit hot and bothered after yet another climb, we were treated like old friends and received the most wonderful service. Lovely coffee, lovely cakes, great village atmosphere and a good wine selection to boot. I'm going back in a few days to try out their lunchtime menu.

Such a wonderful resource. Fantastic selection of wines and local produce. The cafe on site is rather lovely too.

Stopped off for great coffee and could not resist the cakes when walking the Liberty Trail. Great to see local produce being sold.

This volunteer-run shop and cafe is the beating heart of this lovely village. For a small shop it is remarkably well stocked and the team are as friendly as could be. If you’re passing through Thorncombe, stop by and grab a coffee or some delicious cake.

This volunteer-run shop and cafe is the beating heart of this lovely village. For a small shop it is remarkably well stocked and the team are as friendly as could be. If you’re passing through Thorncombe, stop by and grab a coffee or some delicious cake.

Delightful and very helpful staff. Got everything we needed!

Staffed by the locals this is a real community effort. What a great little shop filled with everything you need. You can sit and eat inside and out. The coffee is wonderful as were the bacon baps on a Saturday morning.

Incredible village shop, amazingly well stocked with food and drinks . We stopped off on our cycling tour for tea, coffee and cakes. Really friendly staff. Well worth a detour.

In my experience one of the best community run shops in the area. God's stocks of basics and quite a few luxury items too. Really friendly team that look after you.

What a great shop! Fabulous choice and variety of provisions including ‘store cupboard’ as well as fresh food. Saturday’s bacon baps were a welcome start to our walk. Very friendly place which deserves to be well patronised

A friendly well stocked community shop staffed by local volunteers. It also serves as a cafe and includes a post office service. An excellent example of a community shop.

Great little shop, has lots of lovely food and wines to choose from, also a little cafe for coffee and chat, run by the local people. Great job all round.

Lovely shop which does coffee etc as well. Good choice local produce. Very friendly staff. Great place to visit prior to starting a walk.

Everything you could need, priced reasonably, great coffee, even better cider and such a lovely community feel

Excellent village shop - very well stocked and friendly. Very good selection of wine and beer as well as local cheese,eggs and bread and lots of essentials. Also has a cafe which is great for walkers/cyclists etc and there is a post office 2 mornings a week. A brilliant volunteer run enterprise which is a real asset to the village and a delightful place to visit.

You won’t believe just what a range this little shop carries. All the basics but some lovely local products too, including homemade baking and treats. The staff are all villagers and make you feel welcome. It’s a lovely shop, and they’re a lucky village.

Truly the most welcoming village shop in The South West . Good variety of produce ...lots of local items. Bread and fruit/ veg can be ordered in for next day pick up. Coffees/ teas any day plus bacon baps on a Saturday morning . Always greeted with a kind smile. Staff and volunteers truly amazing . The heart of this wonderful community. A life saver during Covid lockdown and beyond . Thank you xxSue

I can't praise this shop highly enough it is friendly and everyone is made to feel welcome the shop is well stocked from gardening things to a lovely bottle of wine and locally brewed beer and cider loads of locally fresh food, hand made chocolates and much much more and if you want something special they will do there best to get it for you,when every thing was in lockdown they started a delivery service all you had to do was ring the shop place your order and they would deliver to the people in the village and they also made there own hand sanitiser wow what a business keep up the good work

A warm and welcoming shop in the heart of a community. Fresh local produce available and always something new, really enjoyed visiting. Enjoyed a lovely tea and cake indoors, late last year (pre pandemic). Look forward to returning again one day soon.

I go to the Village shop each weekend for a coffee and leave with a great big smile and a backpack full of goodies! Always charming, always well stocked with everything one might need, and always offering a huge range of the wonderful produce our local area has to offer! So glad to be supporting our village shop!

We went to Thorncombe - itself a pretty, well kept village - to do the 5 mile round walk to Forde Abbey and came across the village shop/cafe. Warmly welcomed by the volunteer on duty ()sorry ... forgot his name!) and had a lovely coffee and cake! He told us about the village cricket match that afternoon so we called in after our walk and watched some traditional village cricket with beautiful views and a great clubhouse, not to say good beer and prosecco! What more's to like?!

We visited this little shop on three occasions whilst staying nearby on holiday.It stocks about everything you need or might need if you run out! We enjoyed a coffee whilst we were there and you can sit outside or inside the shop. The volunteer staff we met were so friendly and welcoming which made our visit all the more enjoyable. If you are passing through Thorncombe then make sure you visit the community shop, you won't be disappointed.

Whilst staying in the village, we visited the shop and enjoyed tea and cake and stocked up on supplies (great beer and wine selection). The absolute highlight of this charming place though is the staff. We met 4 of the local volunteers who run the shop and they could not have been more helpful or interesting. We thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them and getting to know the area. Wonderful, thank you

Lovely little community shop, everyone was very friendly and we enjoyed our coffees sitting at the table outside.

Very friendly and welcoming. Had coffee and delicious pasty!

Great local shop run by the community

My wife and I have for some time been saying we must visit this village and then have a coffee in this unique shop. Why did it take us so long to go? Now upset that we could have been enjoying the experience earlier! The shop itself appears to have an array of goods that would satisfy everyday needs. As for the coffee shop, this was extremely pleasant and the coffee was above expectation. The people serving are friendly, and on our visit there was a gentleman mending watches who was a mine of information. Also the travelling postman was there with several customers using this unusual but welcome facility. The only person missing was Miss Marple. So, stop driving on the main road, make a detour to this marvellous village and enjoy an atmosphere, charm and service that we had long thought had sadly gone forever.

Good range of produce for a small shop. Has what you want if you dont need a to do a big shop.

A great discovery. A community shop with volunteer assistants. Sells a wide variety of groceries and vegetables and newspapers. It has a cafe serving teas Monday to Friday and lunch on Tuesdays. Very narrow streets in the village. You may need to park by the village church.

This beautiful part of Dorset is way off the beaten track and all the better for it, but shops are very few and far between so this really is a gem. It is a typically English village shop next to the church in a lovely little village. They sell just about everything you might need plus wine and local beer. The cafe does excellent coffee and tea and snacks, plus there is a special lunch on Tuesdays for just 7 pounds, beats cooking, Some unusual local products you just don't see in supermarkets like Dorset biscuits and honey and a good range of frozen ready meals from local suppliers. Worth a visit. Parking is possible by the church or a little further down at the village hall and its free.

Great friendly atmosphere, situated at the heart of this lovely, friendly Dorset village. Benefits from a new, state of the art coffee machine. Regular, well-priced culinary events include three course Tuesday lunch. Always on offer a selection of cakes, cream teas etc.

We stopped in this beautiful village on a long walk in the Dorset hills . How wonderful to find not just a shop but a little cafe , run by the community for the villagers and visitors alike . The pace was slow, friendly and chatty , just like village life ! We had coffee and tea cakes but on Thursdays they do a lunch for £7!! So good to see community ventures like this ! Great cake too !!

Very friendly staff selection of merchandise excellent for village store 🍀

An excellent shop run by the nicest people. I've managed to find the nicest beer in the world (and I've tried a few) and many other treats. If you're in the area you must pop in.

Very friendly local shop good quality products

Community run village hub, very friendly and welcoming staff.

Very friendly but would have liked to see a greater range of products. There wasn't anything to put in sandwiches such as cut ham. Cakes were limited.

We stumbled across Thorncombe shop by accident a few years ago during our annual Reading to Kingsbridge cycle ride. Since then it's been a regular stop for us. A real haven for any cyclist crossing the blackdown hills. Always a warm welcome, a good place for a short rest and a hot chocolate/ice cream (depending on the weather) and a good selection of food. Highly recomended.

We popped by here to get essentials for pizza making, lovely little shop, staffed by friendly locals who volunteer to 'run the shop for the village'

What a lovely place to stop for coffee and people to talk to👍👍😘 great mid point on circular walk from Forde Abbey 👍

A great community run shop and cafe. Had coffee and cake -lovely. They do lunch on a Tuesday otherwise it is snacks. Two lovely ladies were serving on the day we went. After coffee they gave us advice on good places to visit. Would recommend a visit if you are nearby.

Stocks everything you need to get by plus treats and little luxuries as well as decent wine, Beer and cider. Even does decent coffee and cake as cafe or take away service!

Fantastic community shop selling local produce. Also 2nd hand books and magazines cheap, lovely meeting place for tea and cake

What a gorgeous place to stop for a coffee and chat before going for one of the amazing walks. Great stock of local products are useful for gifts as well as personal use. I'm a huge fan.

This place is a must-have for the locals & tourists staying nearby.It's got everything you need.We stayed in Hewood recently & it was within walking distance. In an area that seems to have lost virtually all its shops & many of it's pubs, it's vital that places like this receive the support they deserve. A credit to the community.

Fantastic community shop run by volunteers. Great range of local produce, essential items and small cafe serving coffee and cakes. Well worth a detour.

This must be one of the best community shops in the west country. Well stocked with all the basics as well as wonderful treats for special occasions. Fresh fruit and veg, home-made cakes and ready meals, and a thriving cafe area for relaxing and socialising. Staff and volunteers are helpful and welcoming.

Lovely Community run Shop. I lived in the village for many years and we have family that still live in the village and we try to shop there as often as we can. We always place our annual Christmas order with them rather than go into town. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly staff and volunteers. It is set in a beautiful village it is well worth a visit.

Great little shop crammed full of quality. Food and drink. Also run a lovely friendly little cafe and even lunches on a Tuesday , great place for walkers, cyclists and holiday makers

Lovely shop , has a wide range of goodies also sit down and relax with a coffee and cake .

A great local shop offering most basics through to useful special items. Endearing staff with a charming traditional country shop attitude. As a family we use it regularly, especially the Shmoos and great coffee.

Lovely local shop run by the local community. Stocks all items that you may need to pop out for quickly as well as other more quirky items. Items are fairly priced especially considering the economy we live in! Definetly recommend visiting if your popping through the village.

A fantastic local shop with interesting local produce and an amazingly wide range of of useful basic ingredients to buy. It is also a great place for a coffee and a chat and is an asset to the village.

Lovely little shop, really handy for essentials on the school run. Very friendly staff who are always willing to help and give advice.

Lovely friendly store / cafe . These guys welcomed us in on a wet Sunday in winter for coffee and cake . Would recommend to any passing cyclists 👍🚴😀

Brilliant little shop. All the basics and lots of interesting extras, including local brands. Excellent wine selection, super-fresh fruit & veg, and handy home-made frozen curries etc. Good cakes and a warm welcome!

We stopped here after a brilliant walk through Marshwood Vale. There were seats inside and out with plenty of snacks, cold drinks and ice cream. For a small shop it seemed really nice with friendly staff and customers. Would recommend.

Vastly overpriced. Seems to cater deliberately for the "well heeled" element of the village.

Lovely, well stocked community run shop supplying all of your day to day requirements. Most other villages would be envious.

Gran lugar para refrigerios cuando ciclismo/corta en esta parte montañosa del oeste de Dorset/East Devon. Estábamos atravesando de Axminster de Blandford y encontré por casualidad. Dirigido voluntariamente por los aldeanos que sirve pasteles caseros con grandes ollas de té, así como tener una tienda bien surtida. Situado en una calle tranquila cerca de la iglesia del pueblo que tiene amplias vistas del valle de la cruz synderford Nos sentamos en su galería en el sol de la mañana de poco cómodas sillas decoradas con almohadones en los diversos locales, saludando a los senderistas y ciclistas de llamar. Volveremos a caminar por la zona y llamar de nuevo.

Very welcoming to walkers and cyclists, well stocked with basic items and more upmarket produce. Small cafe area with tables inside and out

Permanecer cerca Thorncombe durante una semana, estuvimos encantados de encontrar el pueblo, que era tan fresco, bien equipada y acogedora. La calidad era excepcional, y que no podía resistirse a sentarse a una merienda con bollos que estaban recién hechas. Esta tienda es en gran medida atendido por voluntarios locales, que se enorgullecen en el suministro de bienes y el servicio que les ofrece. Nos fuimos muy satisfechos y complementados con la calidez de la bienvenida que nos ofrecieron.

We were on our monthly AVP cycle and stopped here for our pit stop cuppa , we had phoned ahead to warn them we were coming as there were 15 of us, and there were already 2 here ahead of us so total of 17...

After a recent visit to relations in Thorncombe we called in at the local shop the only one in the...

Una buena mezcla de productos y artículos de uso cotidiano.

Manned by friendly staff this community shop is well stocked and even does light snacks and coffee. We regularly stop here on cycle runs from Chard and on a sunny day you can sit outside on the decking opposite the church and watch the world go by. Well worth a visit.

This is a lovely community run shop, that provides all the essentials for day to day needs, from household goods to beers and wines.There is a lot of local produce on sale, so it is fresh and tasty as well as having a wide selection. A post office service is available two mornings a week and the shop itself is open 7 days a week.The staff are all local volunteers who are helpful and welcoming to visitors to the lovely village of Thorncombe. This added to our enjoyment of our stay in the village.It also has a pleasant cafe, selling a good selection of tea, coffee, cakes and food to enjoy and all at a reasonable price. You can either sit inside or outside if the weather is good.Highly recommend if you are passing through the area and it helps support a local endeavour, which benefits the surrounding community greatly. We wish them every success and look forward to returning when we are next in the area.

My husband and I and our three grown up sons (all in their 40's!) stayed in a cottage in Thorncombe in May this year and belatedly I wanted to say how welcome we were made at this lovely village shop. We had several sits with coffee and chats with locals and my youngest son, who was over from the States, spent every morning sitting there with his coffee contacting friends back home. I think he became part of the scene for the 5 days! The ladies working in the shop were friendly and smiling and seemed to enjoy having visitors from somewhere else. We purchased a jar of the Thorncombe Village Curry Sauce and it made a truly delicious curry back home! We loved that part of Dorset - it was so peaceful so will definitely be back and naturally will visit this lovely shop again. Please go if you are passing anywhere near there on your travels. Thank you to everyone there.Mike, Jenny, Adam, Ben and James.

We stopped here for a coffee and cake break on a cycling day out. The surrounding countryside is beautiful for (hilly) cycling and horse riding and this is a great place to take a break from your ride. We had a lovely friendly welcome and there was a very good choice of coffee and tasty snacks, especially for such a small place. Apparently they will even ensure they have enough supplies for larger groups, if notified in advance. The shop itself is also well-stocked, even down to bottles of wine! We sat at a table in the sun and enjoyed a relaxing stop before getting back on our bikes.

We do hope that this shop can stay open as it is providing a much-needed service to the community. We were lured there by a sign advertising cream teas and we found a shop which sells something of everything with a little cafe inside and on the front decking. The scones and tea were excellent and we bought some food to eat later. They hold a nice deli-type range of food and we wish we lived next door!!

Fantastic Village Shop serves great cream tea and stocks lots of wonderful local.produce. Well worth a visit

Bit of local knowledge, bit of luck, brought us upon this cafe during our ride this morning. Thank you for a lovely cup of coffee and a very warm welcome. Sitting in the sun sipping away, it was hard to drag ourselves back on the bikes.

Love this shop - friendly staff, good range of food including fresh veg and wine, cafe with WiFi, post office and gifts - pretty much everything you need. We popped in pretty much every day whilst staying in Thorncombe, saving a long trek to the nearest supermarket. Every village should have a shop like this one.

Next time you find yourself in the Lyme Regis, Axminster Chard area, why not try this little gem of a shop. I say shop, thats not really doing it justice Its a village store, post office two days a week, Deli, cafe meeting point for walkers and horse riders in the area, Internet cafe and even a pop up restaurant on a Thursday night when the shop stays open until 7.00pm.Run by 50 volunteers from the village there always seems to be a good supply of lovely home made cakes, scones and pies to make a perfect light lunch. Its so quiet in the village, we enjoy sitting outside on a sunny day watching the world (and odd horse) go by.Its particularly nice when the volunteers there are on hand with useful local knowledge, ideas for things to do in the area and quite a few of them are real characters with a great sense of humour - They enjoy visitors joining in with the banter and it sometimes feels like you are part of a set in an upcoming BBC sit-com! We saw the shop on BBC spotlight last year when a group of Germans were there being filmed having chosen the village to stay in whilst on holiday because they were interested to learn about the concept of the community-run shop.

Wow This must be the friendliest place on the planet!!!. A well stocked community hub and very reasonable prices too. Our stay in the very pretty village was greatly enhanced by our experience of the shop and pop up restaurant. I can't praise them highly enough. well done and thanks

A well stocked shop with good local produce at reasonable prices with friendly helpful volunteers running it. Coffee, home made cakes, wifi, and a pop up restaurant on Thursday evenings, a great idea in a village that no longer has a pub. Made our stay in the village even more enjoyable.