A BUSINESSMAN who reluctantly decided to close his shop has had a change of heart after his customers begged him to stay open.

David Leake, 74, opened electrical shop, D.P. Leake (Television) Ltd, in High Road Woodford Green in 1959 using money earned renting out second-hand televisions.

After a slump in profits, Mr Leake decided to call time on the business , announcing it would close at the end of October.

But he says he has now decided to keep the shop open.

“Since you wrote about us closing down, we have been inundated with people telling us they don’t want us to go,” he said.

"It’s been quite overwhelming really and we have been doing quite well.

“On the back of that I’ve decided to keep the shop open into the new year, and hopefully we’ll still be here this time next year.

“As long as we can break even, I’ll be happy.”

The shop sells TVs, washing machines and other electrical goods, but it is their reputation for old fashioned customer service that has made them popular with the community.

Mr Leake does not charge for deliveries and right-hand man Eddie Butcher, 65, regularly visits customers outside of working hours to repair TVs or help with technical issues – often free of charge.

“It’s been quite humbling to see so many people come in upset that we were closing,” he said.

“I’m not ready to retire so I’m very happy David has changed his mind.”

Loyal customer Lynda McKill, 66, of Fullers Road in South Woodford, says she is delighted the shop will be staying open.

“We have always bought our TVs and Hoovers there,” she said. “My mum and dad used to buy bits and bobs there, too.”

“You can go to the bigger stores, but if things go wrong from D.P. Leake you just phone Eddie and he’ll come round and sort it out.

“We usually give him a bottle of wine or something. It’s good to be able to buy everyday things from familiar people who you know and trust.”

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