A LONGSTANDING newsagent in Whitchurch has been sold for an undisclosed price after the couple who ran it for 35 years retired. 

After opening The Old Paper Shop in Whitchurch at 5.30am every day for the past 35 years, Jitty and Bansi Hunjan retired on November 5. The couple have enjoyed their years in the town and are sad to leave but decided the time was right.

Since then specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co has successfully sold The Old Paper Shop.

The buyer, Thirukkumaran Sellathathurai brings with him a wealth of experience trading convenience stores and is looking forward to being part of and supporting the local community.

SEE ALSO: Couple who have run The Old Paper Shop in Whitchurch for 35 years set to retire

James Matson, business agent at Christie & Co who handled the sale, said: “Shops in beautiful locations such as Whitchurch are always highly sought after. This sale generated a lot of interest and produced multiple offers before Mr Sellathathurai snapped it up and we wish him all the best with the new business.”

The Old Paper Shop was sold for an undisclosed price.

Both Jitty and Bansi, who have been married for 47 years, were born in East Africa; Jitty came to England as a young man in the 1970s, heading straight to London, whilst Bansi emigrated with her family at the age of 10 and settled in Coventry.

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They took over The Old Paper Shop from Jitty’s brother and sister-in-law, who had run it for five years, so it was very much a case of keeping it in the family. However, neither their son (who lives in London and has two children) nor their daughter (who has lived and worked in Dubai for many years) wanted to continue the family tradition.

Ideally located on the high street of Hampshire’s smallest town, The Old Paper Shop benefits from the commuter trade.

The shop is currently undergoing a refit and will soon be rebranded as a Premier Store, offering a full range of convenience products and services.