Open All Hours

FRIDAY

A nostalgic visit to the shop where I used to buy the sweets to get me through the vicar's sermons back in the 1960s.

Shopkeeper Paul is a real-life Arkwright. He has been serving customers since 1972 but his family have run the shop since 1934.

He's not had a holiday for 45 years and opens seven days a week from 9 am to 9 pm. He stocks everything: DIY equipment, toys, sweets, food, cleaning products, cigarettes, alcohol, light bulbs, batteries...the list is endless.

He is loved by the locals , so much so that a Facebook Appreciation Page called ‘Paul’s Shop’ has over 4,500 ‘likes’. He thinks  however that the humour on the page – putting his face on T-shirts and mugs – has gone a bit too far and “hijacked the shop.”