OWNERS of a Worcester corner shop and pillars of the local community are heading for retirement after serving customers for three decades.

Ramesh, and Sheila Patel, owners of Wyld’s Lane News - known by locals as Sheila’s Shop - will be retiring at the end of this month.

The pair have run the news agents for thirty years.

Mr Patel said: “We are very very sad to be leaving, every time I talk about it my eyes fill with tears.

“It is not just a shop to us but a lifestyle. We have served the community for thirty years, seven days a week.

“We have watched young children coming in to buy sweets, grow up and have children of their own.

“Our customers have become our friends, when we are out and about I don’t put my hand down as we are always waving and saying hello to people we know.

“We will miss being at the hub of community life immensely. It is a bitter sweet ending.

“We are in our 50's now and we want to enjoy some holidays. Sheila and I haven’t been away together for 23 years.”

Mr Patel says his passion is serving the community, during the pandemic the shop remained open to make sure people locally could get what they needed.

Mr Patel said: “I was stood waiting in two and a half hour queues at the Cash and Carry making sure our customers got what they needed - we stayed open throughout the lockdown and were happy to do it.

“Even though we are retiring we will be staying in Worcester and will still be heavily involved in the community that we love.

“My best friends’ son is taking over from us, we have been training him for a year so he knows how best to serve our wonderful customers.

“To them we would like to say goodbye, and from the bottom of our hearts we want to thank everyone who has supported us over the years.

“We will miss you all.”

The shop owners daughter in law Sejal Petal said: “Ramesh and Sheila have been such a big part of the community and will be greatly missed by all.

Do you have any special memories of the popular Wyld’s Lane shop?