South Cotswolds MP Roz Savage celebrates official opening of Refillable

South Cotswolds MP Roz Savage has thrown her support behind a new eco store which has opened in her constituency.

Refillable, at 21 Market Place in Tetbury is run by mother and daughter Stamena and Leny Dimitrova and opened its doors just a week ago offering more than 1,500 sustainable products and growing, to those living locally.

Roz dropped in on the team on Friday 6 December to find out more about this new high street store and the couple’s plans to open a bistro upstairs in early 2025. As an advocate for independent businesses in her constituency, Roz was impressed.

She said: “I love everything about the Refillable in Tetbury. At the same time as helping customers to dramatically cut their use of plastic packaging, they are sourcing their products from local, ethical, environmentally responsible suppliers. They will be creating a venue for community events when their bistro opens.

“And Tetbury residents desperately needed another shop that sells actual food, alongside all the wonderful antique shops, pubs and cafes that make Tetbury so appealing to tourists. My congratulations to mother and daughter team, Stamena and Leny, and I wish all success to them and all the other small businesses that form the heart of our South Cotswolds communities.”

On hand to welcome Roz was the new team at Refillable who are Stefania Harley and Holly Prest alongside Leny who is running the shop during its first weeks of trading. Refillable Tetbury is Leny and Stamena’s second shop having opened their first in Bath four years ago.

Leny said: “It was brilliant to welcome Roz, who we know is very passionate around the subjects of sustainability and net zero, just like us. We were thrilled to be able to show her what we are all about and also explain our plans to expand on the site and offer more to the community of Tetbury and beyond.”

The pair are looking to grow their brand across the South West over time with their goal in 2025 to become an integral part of the Tetbury High Street and offer more local employment opportunities with up to five new jobs coming on stream.

Stamena said: “We do have a vision and it is based around opening more stores in areas where community spirit is strong and where we can build collaborations with local suppliers. We always consider the full life cycle of any product we sell, so how it is made, how it is transported and how it is used and then, if relevant, disposed of. This is something we focus on very clearly. That way our customers are confident that we can share accurate information with them so that they can make good environmental choices.”

Refillable Tetbury is a grocery store offering sustainable and, where possible, local products and there will be no single use plastics in sight. By the spring of 2025 a bistro will open upstairs allowing shoppers to eat, drink and browse.

• Image shows Roz Savage MP (third from left) with the Refillable Tetbury team