THIS Saturday marks an end of an era for shoppers in Old Basing.

After more than 50 years, Linden Market is to stop trading, as brother and sister Bob Pyle and Mary Salmon are retiring.

The SPAR supermarket will close for around two months for a complete refit and is expected to reopen in early October as a Co-op.

Linden Market has quite a history being set up by Bob and Mary’s parents, Charlie and Amy Pyle in October 1964.

Bob said: “It all started from when my father sold watercress to a wholesale market in London. He’d bring back fruit and veg and sell it on Basingstoke Market.”

Uncertainty of the future of the town’s market was one of the reasons that led to Charlie and Amy opening their supermarket on the corner of Linden Avenue and Byfleet Avenue.

Over the years, the successful business expanded, with Bob and Mary helping in the shop after school.

This was also the case with Bob and Mary’s five sons.

“The sad thing is none of the kids want to run the business as they have their own careers,” said a philosophical Bob.

“So we are going to lease the supermarket out to the Co-op.”

Their retirement was prompted by Mary wanting to spend more time with her husband, family and grandchild and an offer from the Co-op.

“It was an opportunity that came along at the right time which we couldn’t refuse,” explained Mary.

Bob added: “This also gave me an opportunity to make up my mind to see if I wanted to carry on or just retire. We have other things to do and we’ll be able to spend more time on our property projects.”

Bob was full of praise for the support and hard work of the supermarket’s 18 staff, including one of Linden Market’s first employees, general assistant Anthony Blake, who after 45 years has also decided to retire.

There was plenty of praise for the shop’s customers.

Bob said: “A lot of them have been good friends over the years.

“That’s what happens in a community shop, you get to know what they want and they get to know what we can do.

“It’s a time of great change in the trade, so it’s good to leave on a high.

“We are sure the Co-op will do a good job for Old Basing and the community.”