Dylis Dando, owner of Dando’s convenience store in High Littleton, is selling up shop after its 74 year reign in the Dando family.

Dylis, wife of Graham Dando, whose parents bought the shop in 1947 when he was born, has kept the shop running on her own, following the sad death of her husband three years ago.

Graham’s parents, who previously had shops in Timsbury, moved to High Littleton after buying the shop.

After training as a plumber, Graham gave up the trade at the age of nineteen to help his mother run Dando’s. Dylis told The Journal: “After his father died, Graham was helping his mum do everything here. He worked so hard to get the

shop where it was, and he was only young when he took it over. He expanded the shop and turned upstairs into a flat.

“We then met in 1977 at a barbecue we were both at to celebrate Jubilee year. After courting for two years, we married in 1979 and I began to work here in 1980, so we were both running the place together.

“I stopped working in 2016, after Graham’s diagno- sis, so I thought now was the right time to sell it on.

“The new owners, Michelle and Jason Appleyard, looked at the shop in July and recently bought it.”

Michelle said: “I am really excited to get started. I have taken lots of photographs of how it looks now because I want to be able to remember it. We have a photograph of Dylis and Graham to put up behind the till for all of the customers.”

Dylis is passing over the shop this weekend, where it will then be shut for a few weeks for renovation.

Dylis said: “I would like to thank all of the customers in the village for their custom and genuine kindness over the years.

“Best of luck to Mr and Mrs Appleyard for your future in the village shop.”