A newsagent who has been a familiar face in Barnet for the past 30 years is preparing to say goodbye to the business he has “loved”.

Dinesh Shah has been running the I-John Newsagent, in East Barnet Road, since 1985.

The shop has been open for around 50 years but Mr Shah, 59, will sell his last items on Friday before locking the doors for the final time.

Describing himself as a “one-man band”, Mr Shah runs the businesses single handedly, serving customers, stocking the store and even delivering newspapers.

The father-of-two, who lives in Harrow, says he almost feels like he lives in Barnet as he works there seven days a week, every day of the year.

He said: “I was very apprehensive when I started. It was my first venture. I was an engineer by profession so it was a totally different experience – I was new to the retail game but I wanted to get into business.

“I have loved running the store, I love the interaction with people. I have seen young men and women grow up from babies – I’ve seen two or three generations of families come through the area.”

Mr Shah is planning on closing down as he is struggling to make ends meet.

But although he is not planning on retiring yet, he hopes to fill his time doing community work.

He added: “Getting to know customers on a daily basis they become part of your life. Apart from being customers, some of them become friends as well – that’s the difference with independent shops.

“You go the extra mile for some of them, taking parcels for them. And there are some people I know would do things for me.

“We have been a kind of mini shop for people, where they come in for whatever they need and you build up a relationship with them.

“It’s very much an embedded part of the community, and quite a lot of people are upset to see it go.

“I will miss it, I’m already feeling sad that I’m leaving. The customers have been very kind to me.”