IT’S the end of an era for a long-standing Leigh butchers that has served the community for 65 years.

Paul Hicks, 74, started working in Hicks butchers, on Eastwood Road North, with his parents from when it first opened in 1956.

He was just 16-years-old at the time, but quickly took the reigns and took over as owner four years later.

Paul has watched generations of families grow up over the years, admitting the decision to give up the shop has been a very difficult one.

He is in the final stages of selling the shop, and is confident the sale will be complete in the next month.

After suffering a fall recently, he was advised by the doctors not to return to the shop.

It is unclear at this stage what the future of the shop holds, with Paul unable to disclose details surrounding the buyer.

Reminiscing on his time running the butchers, Paul said: “I worked for my parents before taking the shop over myself.

“I should have retired nine years ago but I didn’t want to. I’ve worked here all my life since I left school.

“It’s more of a way of life. It’s more like a big village with all the regular customers.

“My father died in 1962 and so I started helping out more with my mum before I took it over when I was 20.

“It’s been like an era. It’s lovely, some of our customers have then had children and they’ve then had children. I’ve got to see them grow up and go on to have children.

“We’ve got to know our customers and they’ve become more like friends.”

Read more: Cars drove wrong way down A127 to get out of hours worth of traffic

Paul stopped working in the shop after having a fall a couple of months ago, prompting him to sell the much-loved shop.

He added: “I had a fall and I had to go to A&E and they said to not go back to the shop anymore.

“It’s strange being at home.

“Doing 12 hour days, six days a week, to being at home it’s definitely strange.

“I’m missing my regular customers.

“At the moment we don’t know what it’s going to be. It would be nice if it stayed a butchers but we’re not sure.

“It was hard for me to decide to sell. It was a tough decision and if I had been well enough I would have carried on. My staff have been amazing. They have been good to me and I shall miss them.”