A POSTMASTER and his wife have retired after 30 years of serving the people of Kelvedon Hatch.
Keith and Anne Keylock, who ran the Village Stores in Church Road, might be savouring their retirement but they admit they will miss their customers.
Mr Keylock said: "We were always about the community.
"It was a hard decision to retire but I needed a knee operation and it was getting about time.
"We had a great relationship with our customers and in 30 years we got to know the whole village.
"We would see people come in who are just children who would end up coming back with their own children years later.
"One customer has moved away from the village but every time he is nearby he drops in to buy a sandwich.
"He tells us we're the only shop that knows his name."
The couple ran the shop with a band of helpful staff whom Mr Keylock affectionately refers to as his "girls".
"We had a great group of girls who helped run the place," he said.
"They were always hard-working and I couldn't have done it without them."
The shopkeeping pair closed up to allow Mr Keylock to have a knee-replacement operation.
"It's a big operation and it took me a long time to recover," the 67-year-old said.
"It never felt like retirement, just a long period of sick leave.
"I have recovered now and it finally feels like it is real.
"We have had few holiday breaks but it has been hard leaving the shop behind.
"I have offered to help out at the shop if the new owner needs it but, all in all, I don't think I could do the seven days a week work anymore.
"It takes up your whole life, running a business like that properly.
"It isn't a job you leave at the door when you get home.
"I used to get up every morning at quarter past four, it is nice to know you don't have to do that anymore and relax."
Mrs Keylock told the Gazette: "It has been a wonderful community to be a part of."
The 66-year-old, whom husband Keith says is "still young", is appreciative of the locals who turned out at their retirement party earlier this month.
"It was amazing to see so many turn up there must have been over 200 people who turned up throughout the day," Mrs Keylock.
"It was very touching to see them show their gratitude in that way. We didn't know what to expect but it exceeded expectations."
Mr Keylock said: "It was organised by some of the girls.
"I just brought along some beer, the important stuff, to keep everyone happy.
"Far more people than I thought ended up attending, including many people who no longer live in the area."
When it comes to their business success, Mr Keylock said: "We offered a personal service that is dying out and made sure that the customer felt valued."
