They provided their customers with the daily essentials for 32 years but now Roop and Bijla Singh have shutting up shop.

The husband and wife have run VG Food Stores in Lorna Court, St Ives, for more than three decades, overcoming recessions and competing against the rise of the superstores.

The pair are handing over the reigns to the next generation, and Mrs Rani, 63, believes that the corner shop still plays a vital role. She said: “It doesn’t matter what happens, we still need a corner shop. The same people come in to the shop every day and speak to us and we play a big part in their day.”

The couple who live in Green How, St Ives, and have five children said they wanted to retire to enjoy family holidays – difficult before because of the need to run the shop.

Mrs Rani said: “We would like to thank all our customers for their support through the good and the bad times.”