Close, the village has seen little growth. Newer houses have been built to the west of the village on the old grounds of the tavern. Older houses are to the east of the village near the church. The most recent development is a group of new bungalows on Station Road. There is a large manor house at the eastern edge of the village toward Bonthorpe. The older main building was recently renovated. In the 1980s, a new hall and extension was constructed and in the 1990s and 2000s further improvements were carried out. Another large house in the grounds of the church is the rectory on Station Road. Commercial At present there is only one shop/petrol station selling convenience goods and a former blacksmith's shop which sells and repairs gardening equipment. A mobile fish and chip shop visits the village weekly. The public house is called The Willoughby Arms. The village used to be larger, with more services that included a butcher, a post office and a dairy shop. Changing demographics and the loss of the railway line and station caused the decline of these businesses. Facilities Education The village has a small primary school, St Helena's Church of England Primary School. The school, which opened in 1948, serves students from preschool to Year 6 (ages 4 through 11). As of July 2011 the school had 106 pupils. Transportation In 1848, the village was connected to the rest of the county by the East Lincolnshire Railway, a line from Peterborough to Grimsby. Willoughby railway station was also the point where the Mablethorpe line began. Since the rail line closed in 1970, villagers have had to depend on motor-vehicle travel. The original platform, former line and station houses still exist. There are a few daily buses operated by the Lincolnshire bus company, Translinc, and Stagecoach in Lincolnshire. Three school bus services run through the week to Alford. There are three main roads through the village – Church Road, Station Road and Hanby Lane. Community and events The village community life revolves around the church. Some residents attend Sunday service and many use it for weddings, funerals and baptisms. St Helena's Church is one of many in the parish. The rural parish stretches as far as Chapel St Leonards. The Village Hall and Green sponsors numerous events throughout the year including a garden competition run by the Willoughby Garden Club, the annual