It may not provide that great village shop tradition of a catch up with the latest gossip or a chat about the weather. But despite the lack of a human touch, this automated shop is a lifeline for residents. The giant vending machine opened  this week in Clifton, Derbyshire, which has been without a village shop for 14 years. Scroll down for video . Residents queue to use the vending machine in the village of Clifton, which has had no shop for 14 years . Browsing: Marion Higgins takes a look at the variety of items on sale at the establishment . The machine, which contains chiller . compartments, stocks essentials such as bread, milk, eggs, toiletries, . pet food – and umbrellas. Residents select their items, pay by cash or credit card and take the goods from the dispenser. Electrical engineer Peter Fox invented it after the village shop closed down. Unable to interest a firm in developing the machine, he spent three years building one himself. The machine, complete with chiller . compartments, has a faux red brick front and a traditional awning to . give the modern shop a traditional feel. Mr . Fox says the machines will be introduced to other villages in the area . in the next few months - claiming they could become a lifeline for small . communities hit by the rise of internet shopping. The . 50-year-old father-of-two, from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, said: 'I had . this idea a few years ago but I couldn’t find a manufacturer who could . deliver what I wanted, so I rolled up my sleeves and did it myself. Dispensing with tradition: Engineer Peter Fox, 50, has installed a giant vending machine in Clifton, Derbyshire . Out with the old: Lorraine Garside buys a loaf of bread from first automated village store at Clifton . 'The result is what essentially amounts to a huge outdoor vending machine - but the term "automatic shop" is actually far more appropriate. 'The problem with vending machines is that they can’t handle the range, weight, or delicacy of a wide range of products such as milk, eggs, bread, washing powder and so on. Our shop can handle all of these and many more besides.' The shop is fitted with an array of security features including cameras and alarms and will be run by Mr Fox from an industrial unit. Gravy train: Mr Fox hopes his unusual way of dispensing Bisto and milk will become a far-reaching business - and save declining villages which have been hit by the rise of internet shopping . He has also applied for a number of patents for his design. It works by lifting a small basket up to each shelf before a mechanism pushes out the desired product. That way it only has a small distance to travel, preventing milk bottles from bursting or eggs from smashing. Tin of chopped tomatoes £0.65 . Six large free-range eggs £1.75 . Bottle of fairy liquid £1.29 . Tin of Heinz Beans £0.69 . Pint of semi-skimmed milk £0.59 . Medium sliced loaf of bread £1.45 . Small umbrella £2.50 . He added: 'I know everything that’s . happening minute-by-minute and, uniquely, customers can also view all . our stock, and its availability, live on our website.' His new company intends to stock each . machine with local produce where possible, and Peter is already in talks . with other publicans who are invited to host the machines without . having to pay a fee. He said: 'I hope I can put something into the community while developing a truly 21st Century piece of technology. 'It’s hard to compete with the supermarkets on everything, but we can get pretty close, and when you take the travel time and costs into account, we think we can compete, and bring the village shop back to the village.' Clifton resident Simon Catley, 56, said: 'It’s a magnificent thing. 'The last village store in Clifton closed about 14 years ago, so this is a great addition. Before it was installed you would have to get in your car and drive almost two miles to a Sainsbury’s in Ashbourne even if you just fancied a cup of tea and needed a pint of milk. 'It is also nice to be putting money into a local business rather than a superstore. It stocks everyday essentials, and a little more. You can basically buy everything to make a full English breakfast.' Tradition: The shop features a faux red brick front and a traditional village-style awning as decoration .
Engineer Peter Fox, 50, spent more than two years designing the machine .
It has been installed 14 years after Clifton, Derbyshire, lost its last shop .
Residents can buy bread, milk, eggs, toiletries, pet food and umbrellas .
It may not provide that great village shop tradition of a catch up with the latest gossip or a chat about the weather. But despite the lack of a human touch, this automated shop is a lifeline for residents. The giant vending machine opened this week in Clifton, Derbyshire, which has been without a village shop for 14 years. Scroll down for video . Residents queue to use the vending machine in the village of Clifton, which has had no shop for 14 years . Browsing: Marion Higgins takes a look at the variety of items on sale at the establishment . The machine, which contains chiller . compartments, stocks essentials such as bread, milk, eggs, toiletries, . pet food – and umbrellas. Residents select their items, pay by cash or credit card and take the goods from the dispenser. Electrical engineer Peter Fox invented it after the village shop closed down. Unable to interest a firm in developing the machine, he spent three years building one himself. The machine, complete with chiller . compartments, has a faux red brick front and a traditional awning to . give the modern shop a traditional feel. Mr . Fox says the machines will be introduced to other villages in the area . in the next few months - claiming they could become a lifeline for small . communities hit by the rise of internet shopping. The . 50-year-old father-of-two, from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, said: 'I had . this idea a few years ago but I couldn’t find a manufacturer who could . deliver what I wanted, so I rolled up my sleeves and did it myself. Dispensing with tradition: Engineer Peter Fox, 50, has installed a giant vending machine in Clifton, Derbyshire . Out with the old: Lorraine Garside buys a loaf of bread from first automated village store at Clifton . 'The result is what essentially amounts to a huge outdoor vending machine - but the term "automatic shop" is actually far more appropriate. 'The problem with vending machines is that they can’t handle the range, weight, or delicacy of a wide range of products such as milk, eggs, bread, washing powder and so on. Our shop can handle all of these and many more besides.' The shop is fitted with an array of security features including cameras and alarms and will be run by Mr Fox from an industrial unit. Gravy train: Mr Fox hopes his unusual way of dispensing Bisto and milk will become a far-reaching business - and save declining villages which have been hit by the rise of internet shopping . He has also applied for a number of patents for his design. It works by lifting a small basket up to each shelf before a mechanism pushes out the desired product. That way it only has a small distance to travel, preventing milk bottles from bursting or eggs from smashing. Tin of chopped tomatoes £0.65 . Six large free-range eggs £1.75 . Bottle of fairy liquid £1.29 . Tin of Heinz Beans £0.69 . Pint of semi-skimmed milk £0.59 . Medium sliced loaf of bread £1.45 . Small umbrella £2.50 . He added: 'I know everything that’s . happening minute-by-minute and, uniquely, customers can also view all . our stock, and its availability, live on our website.' His new company intends to stock each . machine with local produce where possible, and Peter is already in talks . with other publicans who are invited to host the machines without . having to pay a fee. He said: 'I hope I can put something into the community while developing a truly 21st Century piece of technology. 'It’s hard to compete with the supermarkets on everything, but we can get pretty close, and when you take the travel time and costs into account, we think we can compete, and bring the village shop back to the village.' Clifton resident Simon Catley, 56, said: 'It’s a magnificent thing. 'The last village store in Clifton closed about 14 years ago, so this is a great addition. Before it was installed you would have to get in your car and drive almost two miles to a Sainsbury’s in Ashbourne even if you just fancied a cup of tea and needed a pint of milk. 'It is also nice to be putting money into a local business rather than a superstore. It stocks everyday essentials, and a little more. You can basically buy everything to make a full English breakfast.' Tradition: The shop features a faux red brick front and a traditional village-style awning as decoration .
this week in Clifton, Derbyshire, which has been no shop for 14 years . Browsing: Marion Higgins bread, milk, eggs, toiletries, . pet food – and myself. Dispensing with tradition: Engineer Peter Fox, 50, has installed a giant vending machine in