THE opening of a community shop in a Craven village has had to be put back after a potential fire was narrowly avoided on its premises.

A team of volunteers is ready to run Hebden Village Store and they were looking forward to opening the shop in the outbuilding next to the Clarendon Hotel on Tuesday.

But it has had to be postponed to June 1 to allow for a clean-up after a tumble dryer in the building started giving off smoke.

The shop, which will sell general groceries, fresh vegetables and other basic items, will open Monday to Saturday, 9am to noon. It follows on from the stores run by Clarendon licensees Hayley and Ashley Crampton until they left the pub about a year ago.

Clarendon Hotel chef-patron, Lionel Strub, said the tumble dryer had started giving off smoke but had been spotted before any real damage was done.

He added: "We learned from the fire brigade later that the dryer was a model that had been recalled by the manufacturer but we didn't know – there was no damage, fortunately.

"This is a shop run by the community for the community, so it will be good for the village when it opens."

One of the volunteers is villager Mary Carlisle, who said it was important Hebden had a shop selling basic groceries.

She added: "Even though the village is quite small, there is a definite need, and we have a very enthusiastic team.

"It's only a couple of miles to Grassington, but most people don't want to get in a car to just to get some simple provisions, and public transport is poor anyway. The shop will make it easier for the elderly and infirm, as well as those who don't want to go outside the village.

"The premises are small but we will be carrying a reasonable stock of groceries, vegetables and other items at first, then we'll see what the need is."

Hebden's original Village Stores and Post Office, in Main Street, closed at the end of 2013 when proprietor Linda Wilson stepped down.