Popular newsagent steps down after 41 years

A newsagent who arrived in the UK as a refugee is retiring after 41 years working behind the counter.

Vijay Patel, who is turning 70 this year, has served the community of Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, since 1985.

He arrived in England from Uganda as a teenager in 1972, after President Idi Amin ordered thousands of Asians to leave the country within 90 days.

The business owner explains that he came to the country "not for handouts" but to work, and eventually took over the shop when the town's population was just 3,200.

When he first arrived in the country, he lived with his uncle, who had his own shop in Rushden.

Within a day of arriving in England, the then 16-year-old found work in an industrial laundry and took up an evening job making paint brushes.

Later, his grandfather bought the Higham Ferrers shop that Vijay still works in today.

As his first language was Gujarati, he found that reading the newspapers in his shop helped him become a fluent English speaker.

Reflecting on his four decades in the town, Vijay says the community "accepted us as one of their own".

"I'm not anybody special. I'm nobody at all. I'm just an ordinary person," he says.

"I have really enjoyed serving the people... the love and affection they've shown to not just me but to my wife as well is incredible."

The mayor of Higham Ferrers, Chris O'Rourke, described Vijay as a "real asset" who has witnessed huge changes over the years.

"He's seen 10 prime ministers and six royal weddings," he said.

At a recent retirement party held at a local club, the mayor noted that residents were "queuing up" just to say goodbye to the popular shopkeeper.

O'Rourke added: "Everybody enjoys going in there having a chat with him; he's got opinions about everything, and he will discuss anything and everything with everybody.

"I mean, he came over here all that time ago with nothing, and he took a chance on it, and it's worked really well."

Over the years, Vijay has seen various front-page scandals fly off the shelves, but even he has been surprised by how quickly the newspaper industry itself has transformed.

He recalls that a Saturday edition of The Telegraph cost just 30p when he started, compared to £4.50 today.

"And people's habits have changed as well due to that reason, and a lot of shops don't sell many newspapers, or they stop selling [them] completely," he adds.

"I said [to customers] you don't have to buy anything, just come and see me... You learn a lot from people.

"They come and talk to me and my wife... Even if they don't want to buy anything."

Vijay's wife, Bina, believes her husband's success was due to the bond he built with his customers.

She said: "The customers love him because of the way he wakes up in the morning and is very cheerful... so that's why they like him a lot.

"People love him, but without the customers... we won't be here. The customers are our friends and everything to us."

The 65-year-old is worried her newly retired husband will be "under my feet" and is planning to keep him busy with chores such as mowing the lawn and cleaning the kitchen.

Vijay added: "I have to get used to taking orders from her at home rather than me ordering her here in the shop."

Do you have a story suggestion for Northamptonshire? Contact us below.

Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.