Allendale Co-operative Society

{{Short description|Consumer co-operative in Allendale, Northumberland, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2023}}

{{coords|display=title}}

{{notability|1=Companies|date=October 2018}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Allendale Co-operative Society Limited

| image = Allendale Co-op - geograph.org.uk - 420326.jpg

| type = Independent retail co-operative

| founded = {{start date and age|1874|12|24|df=yes}}

| hq_location = Allendale, Northumberland, England

| revenue = £1.9m (2021)

| assets = £2.1m (2021)

| members = 1950 (2021)

| num_employees = 26 (2021)

| website = {{URL|http://allendalecoop.co.uk}}

| footnotes = [https://mutuals.fca.org.uk/Search/Society/23169 2021 Annual Returns]

}}

Allendale Co-operative Society is a small consumer co-operative in the village of Allendale, Northumberland, England. Founded in 1874 as the Allendale Industrial and Provident Society, the co-operative is one of the few remaining British co-operative retail societies still operating from a single village store.{{Cite news |last=Tighe |first=Chris |date=2010-06-20 |title=Secret is in being different |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/65f205b2-7c92-11df-8b74-00144feabdc0 |url-status=live |access-date=2021-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009210741/https://www.ft.com/content/65f205b2-7c92-11df-8b74-00144feabdc0 |archive-date=2022-10-09}}{{Cite journal |last1=Scott Cato |first1=Molly |author-link=Molly Scott Cato |last2=Bickle |first2=Richard |date=August 2010 |title=A Co-operative Path to Food Security in the UK |url=https://www.thenews.coop/wp-content/uploads/s2-BickleCato-129.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Journal of Co-operative Studies |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=4–15 |issn=0961-5784 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416005151/https://www.thenews.coop/wp-content/uploads/s2-BickleCato-129.pdf |archive-date=2021-04-16 |access-date=2021-04-16}}

The co-operative is incorporated as a registered society, and as a consumer co-operative the society is owned and democratically controlled by its members who are its customers.{{Cite web|title=Allendale Co-operative Society Limited|url=https://mutuals.fca.org.uk/Search/Society/23169|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-16|website=Financial Conduct Authority Mutuals Register|archive-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410153244/https://mutuals.fca.org.uk/Search/Society/23169}} Alongside general meetings the members elect a board of directors to oversee the management of the society.{{Cite web|last=|title=About Allendale Co-op|url=http://allendalecoop.co.uk/about-us/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-16|website=Allendale Co-operative Society|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416005151/http://allendalecoop.co.uk/about-us/}}

In 2021 the co-operative had 1950 members, a turnover of £1.9m, assets of £2.1m and 26 employees.{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=Allendale Co-operative Society Limited Annual Returns |url=https://mutuals.fca.org.uk/Documents/Download/851382 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320192329/https://mutuals.fca.org.uk/Documents/Download/851382 |archive-date=20 March 2023 |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=Financial Conduct Authority Mutuals Public Register |format=PDF }} In addition to the store the co-operative also operates a delivery service for the surrounding rural area, as well as leasing out another shop in the village to a butchers and some residential property.{{Cite news |last=Robinson |first=James |date=2020-06-14 |title=Allendale Co-op praised for work during lockdown |work=Hexham Courant |url=https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/18513719.allendale-co-op-praised-work-lockdown/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009210748/https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/18513719.allendale-co-op-praised-work-lockdown/ |archive-date=2022-10-09}}

As an independent society the co-operative is able to take advantage of the purchasing power of the national retail co-operative wholesaler, Federal Retail and Trading Services, while also sourcing products from local and alternative suppliers.{{Cite news |last=Hadfield |first=Miles |date=2020-04-07 |title=Co-ops and Covid-19: Supply chain issues for small or remote stores |work=Co-operative News |url=https://www.thenews.coop/147000/sector/retail/co-ops-and-covid-supply-chain-issues-for-small-or-remote-stores/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117214136/https://www.thenews.coop/147000/sector/retail/co-ops-and-covid-supply-chain-issues-for-small-or-remote-stores/ |archive-date=2021-01-17}}{{Cite news |last=Hall |first=Jane |date=2008-02-06 |title=Aiming to be best in Britain; Three rural businesses in frame for national accolade |pages=17 |work=The Journal |location=Newcastle upon Tyne}}