The couple at the helm of Shap’s village newsagent are making headlines themselves this week, as they are set to retire after more than 22 years running the business.
Dave and Bev Anderson, of Anderson News and Post Office, are saying goodbye to early starts — taking delivery of papers and preparing fresh food before their first customers arrive at around 5am — and say retirement will allow them more freedom, but have loved running the shop which they took on as a “lifestyle business” nearly 23 years ago.
Over the years, loyal customers from Shap and the outlying area have become good friends, and Bev and Dave intend to stay living in the village after their retirement.
The couple, who originally hail from the Rochdale area, gave up their careers as a bank manager and transport manager respectively to take on the Shap newsagency, adding the post office counter in 2015.
“We wanted to work together and we were looking for a business. We looked all over the place but as soon as we came to Shap we knew it was the one for us,” Bev told the Herald.
“We have tried to keep the business as close to how it was when we took it over as possible. We managed to weather COVID and earlier the foot and mouth crisis and stay open and our customers have been loyal.
“We have never looked at it as a job, we wanted a change of lifestyle and it has been a lifestyle for us, more than a business.”
She added: “For 23 years the shop has always come first, and we have needed to work seven days a week. It will be nice now to have a bit of freedom.”
The business was put on the market some time ago and a buyer found, however they had to pull out, by which time Bev and Dave had set a date for their retirement which they have decided to stick to. The business remains for sale.
Last Wednesday, children from the village school, who along with their parents have been regular visitors to Andersons, made a special trip with their teacher to say thank you and goodbye to Bev and Dave.
