Retirement beckons for Wellingborough newsagents who have not holidayed together for 32 years

A Wellingborough couple who have worked together at a newsagents for 32 years are set to swap early morning starts for lie-ins, cruises and holidaying together.

Kirti and Niru Bajaria, owners of MJ News in Cambridge Street, are hoping that as soon as the Covid pandemic is under control they will finally be able to take a break together, something they have been unable to do for more than three decades.

The couple are handing over their busy town centre shop from where their successful news delivery service operates, helped by six newspaper boys and girls.

But Mr and Mrs Bajaria, who have been married for 41 years, will still be behind the counter for the next few months to ensure the smooth transition to the new shop owner before following their dream to travel the world.

Mr Bajaria, who named the shop using his parents' initials, said: "I'm really going to miss the customers, having a joke and enjoying a laugh. We have fun and I'll miss the people.

"We get up at 4am and I think we will still wake up at that time - our body clocks are used to it."

It was Mr Bajaria's mum who gave her son the idea to buy the business as she walked past it on her way into town.

Previously employed as a postman, he kept in touch with the shop's owner saying that if he ever sold up to give him first refusal.

It was a few years later, when he was the manager of a cash and carry, the newsagent gave him the chance to take over the business.

He named it MJ News after his mum Manjula and dad Jivandas.

He said: "It was my dream job and my mum always wanted me to take on the business. I worked on my own for the first six months and then one day a paperboy didn't turn up and I asked my wife to do the round. I asked her to give up her job and join me."

The pair who both celebrate their birthdays this week - Kirti will be 68 today (Tuesday) and Niru will be 66 on Friday - have seen many changes to the business, moving the billing and payments online for customers but remaining a traditional newsagents.

Mr Bajaria is looking forward to getting back to his favourite pub The Ranelagh Arms to play crib whilst Mrs Bajaria will be spending time gardening.

Mrs Bajaria said: "I will be helping out for a few weeks but I'm hoping to be at home more.

"We would also like to go to India and Canada. We were supposed to go Germany for a wedding but we couldn't because of Covid. I'm looking forward to going on a cruise because customers have told me how good they are."

Mr Bajaria added: "I would like to thank all of our customers and let them know that everything will be the same - there will even be the same person behind the desk."