Profile: Amit and Manjula Mistry

Amrit & Manjula Mistry Open all hours!

In the early 1980s recession hit when Nigel shopping while they learnt about what the people of Lawson was Chancellor (remember him?) and Deepings like to eat!

Margaret Thatcher was in the Prime Ministerial This was 1984 - the couple moved in above the

Chair! Manufacturing was hit particularly In those days the shop had a deli counter and locals badly and three million were unemployed. Two would come in for a slice of corned beef, ham, cheese of those people were newlyweds Amrit and and beef. The keen fishermen would like to buy spam Manjula Mistry. Amrit had worked at Metal Box to use as bait for the fish. This was uncharted territory Packaging Company and Manjula had worked for the couple, originally from Kenya, who were used in a laboratory for Rank Hovis. They had only to slightly spicier fare! Shop hours were 8-6 with an lived in their marital home for six months and the hour for lunch between 1 and 2. This was for the future after a year was beginning to look bleak. couple a complete culture change but the positive feelings that they In the end the London Fire Brigade offered Amrit a job with ‘In those days the streets had for the area only flourished as they their accounts team but their loss was to be the Deepings gain as the pair had visited Deeping of Deeping were much quieter than they are got to know their customers. Gentle giant Big Mal, Joan on the way to see family in Leicester and had viewed Brian today and cows still McSherry, who had been a post lady, and Jennifer Gardner’s Spar grazed in the field where and Mrs Merrill shop in Godsey Lane which was for sale. The Deepings appealed the Health Centre is now.’ who gave the couple fifty pence (not an to the young couple and so with inconsiderable sum a blessing of an amicable banker back then) on their a mutual love affair with the community began to first Christmas in the shop, and Mabel Barker and unfold. her large family are just a handful from many who the couple recall fondly. shop, the stock-take was done on the Sunday and on Their two daughters were born while they lived in Monday they were open for business. Life was very the flat upstairs, Manisha in 1987 and Anila in ’91; different from Chadwell Heath, east of London. In both attended the back school and went on to Bourne those days the streets of Deeping were much quieter Grammar. After ten years the family moved into a house than they are today and cows still grazed in the field nearby but continued to work hard at the shop which where the Health Centre is now. The couple didn’t had several refits over the years. Eventually the deli leave the shop for ten months; parents did their food counter was replaced with a more extensive selection of ready meals as habits changed and customers were more likely to stop by after a day’s work to pick up an easy supper and a drink from the off licence. At this time the hours were extended until 10, a move which saw the takings double!

In 1987 the shop was awarded the Spar Retailer of the year for the East Midlands region and in 2001 received the Spar Off Licence Retailer of the year award.

Disaster struck when Tesco opened and the couple lost trade, staff and almost their way! But instead of giving up their business they invested over £25,000 in a refit, negotiated a stock loan on a ‘buy now pay later’ basis and the gamble paid off! Amrit also realised the benefit of seeking help from the banks, from an accountant rather than a book-keeper, and from his financiers – business meetings were held regularly so any potential problems could be circumvented ahead of time. This is a piece of advice that Amrit has now carried with him to the Deeping Business Support Group, where he relishes the opportunity to put businesses that have been hit by the problems caused by the Lockdown in touch with professional advisors who can help them navigate their way through to calmer waters.

As an active member of the Deepings business community, it was an obvious next step for Amrit to join the Rotary Club. Here he has served as a President and received the Paul Harris award for service to the community. He was a stalwart of the Feed Deeping campaign and his retirement has not, as yet, given him the time he was planning to spend with Manjula!