The Parish Council now own the two tennis courts at Charlton Down. From 5th April 2008 players will need to book in the village shop and pay a small fee (50p under 16 and £1 per adult for an hour). There will also be clear rules. The courts are available to all members of the whole parish - Charminster and Charlton Down.
The village shop was picked as one of the top small shops in the country by the Independent Achievers Academy as one of the best independent shops in the United Kingdom.
The store was opened in 2006 by Jim Leese who lives in Charlton Down, he commented “I’m very pleased. We only opened in July last year and without doubt, the staff are our biggest asset and we couldn’t achieve success without them. They provide fantastic friendly customer service which I think our customers really appreciate. Everyone who works in the shop lives locally and that’s made it easier for us to become an integral part of the Charlton Down community.”
He added: “We’re new to retailing and this award will boost our confidence - it confirms we’re getting things right.”
Charlton Down Village Shop was one of only two in Dorset to make the top 100 - the other is Iwerne Minster Village Stores.