UPHAM'S last shop must adapt to survive, more than 100 villagers were told at a meeting to help save it from impending closure.

There was standing room only at Upham Village Hall as locals discussed how and where their shop could continue.

But owner Gary Dhatt, who says he has lost tens of thousands of pounds on the ailing business, is happy to leave it empty instead of selling to the community, the Hampshire Chronicle can reveal.

MORE: Upham shopkeeper says county council has driven him out of business

Plans for a volunteer-run replacement, in the current building or an extended village hall, depend on its ability to adapt to local needs, the meeting heard.

Anne Harrison, rural affairs officer at Hampshire County Council, said successful village shops, such as Twyford Stores or Braishfield's community-run 'pantry', offer alternative products to supermarkets.

She said: "I suspect business has been getting tougher and tougher for [Mr Dhatt] over the last few years, as it has every other village shop. To change that flow we have to do something different.

"It's really important that they are different and that the person who runs them sees that they have to change with the times. I'm not entirely sure that that has been going on."

Mr Dhatt, who plans to close on May 17 and rent out his family home next door, was not at the meeting. But he told the Hampshire Chronicle on Tuesday it would likely take a bid of around £450,000 to convince him to sell.

“It would have to be a very, very good bid,” he said. “We’ve got to look at our future now because we’ve already lost too much.

“Without even changing the exterior I could put a bungalow in there. It might be in my plans in the future, not at the moment.”

He added: “Renting the shop would be quite difficult because the house would [then] be difficult to rent.”

Hampshire Chronicle:

Gary Dhatt in his shop with Jagdish and Eshan, 2

Some at the meeting urged Hampshire County Council to reverse last year's controversial installation of a traffic island nearby, which Mr Dhatt says restricted parking and has forced him out of business.

The Post Office, meanwhile, has eased fears by confirming its commitment to "service" in Upham, which could take the form of a part-time postmaster.

The village will have six months to prepare a bid if city chiefs decide to list it as a community asset next Thursday.

Nearly 30 people expressed interest in helping to save the shop.

Upham Parish Council will discuss the issue on Monday, after the annual parish assembly at the village hall. The assembly starts at 7pm.