Customers buy veteran shopkeeper, 75, a traditional brown coat

2022-10-27

I’m the real-life Arkwright! Customers buy veteran shopkeeper, 75, a traditional brown coat to mark his 60 years minding the village store

Don Hoare been nicknamed ‘Arkwright’ by customers at shop where he works
He has been working at the shop which his parents ran since 1962
Took over the shop with his wife Sue, 69, when parents retired in 1976

With grey hair, a moustache and a corner store he has helped keep open all hours for 60 years, it is no surprise that Don Hoare has been nicknamed ‘Arkwright’ by customers.

All that was missing was the brown shop coat worn by Ronnie Barker’s curmudgeonly character in the BBC sitcom Open All Hours.

But villagers in Billesdon, near Leicester, even fixed that – they bought Mr Hoare one for his 75th birthday in April.

With grey hair, a moustache and a corner store he has helped keep open all hours for 60 years, it is no surprise that Don Hoare has been nicknamed ‘Arkwright’ by customers

All that was missing was the brown shop coat worn by Ronnie Barker’s curmudgeonly character in the BBC sitcom Open All Hours. But villagers in Billesdon, near Leicester, even fixed that – they bought Mr Hoare one for his 75th birthday in April

Olive oil was kept in the medicine cabinet and bought by customers to clear ear wax. The only rice sold was to make rice pudding. ‘I couldn’t believe it when people started cooking with olive oil,’ Mr Hoare said.

‘Back then the shop was a lot smaller. I used to know all the customers’ names because everybody took the local paper, and would come in to settle their bills. It’s not quite like that now.’

Unlike the stuttering bachelor Albert Arkwright, Mr Hoare is married and is a grandfather. He had intended to be a draughtsman but began working at the shop, which his parents ran, in 1962.

He took over the store with wife Sue, 69, when his parents retired in 1976 – the year Arkwright became a fixture on our TV screens.

Mr Hoare said: ‘I remember watching Open All Hours and remarking to Sue that Arkwright was just like me. I said: ‘Are you sure this isn’t a documentary?’ ‘ Although his wife still helps out, he now runs the shop with daughter-in-law Sarah, opening at 7am daily.

In Open All Hours, which aired until 1985, Arkwright ran the shop with his put-upon nephew Granville, played by David Jason, and tried to woo nurse Gladys Emmanuel, played by Lynda Baron.

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