A POPULAR community shop has applied to extend its opening hours on Saturday.

A planning application variation has been submitted, which operates out of the village’s Baptist Chapel.

The shop is currently open until 12.30pm on Saturday afternoons, with current planning permission allowing it to stay open until 8pm Monday to Friday. However, the shop currently closes at 4.30pm on weekdays.

The shop has been operational since September 2018, following the retirement of the postmaster Gordon and Diane Martin and the withdrawal of their premises in Gorsley for Post Office use.

In its application to the Herefordshire planners, shop manager, Jacky Bentham explained that the Gorsley community has shown interest in the shop opening later on Saturdays, especially during the summer months.

Ms Bentham added: “The adjacent Orchard Coffee House is open on Saturday afternoons, and this proposed extended opening on Saturdays would link our opening times for customer clarity.

“Although we do not envisage opening until 8pm, it would be beneficial to have this in place to cover any one-off openings we may wish to arrange in the future.

“We would like to vary our original planning permission granted for weekdays allowing us to open from 8am to 8pm and be extended to cover Saturday. We remain closed on Sunday.”