Popular postmaster, Varinder Kumar, is retiring from The Grange Post Office after 43 years at the helm.
Varinder has actually been serving his North Shields community for 53 years as he took on his newsagent, off-licence and convenience store in Blandford Road in 1973 and added The Grange Post Office ten years later.
He and wife, Shama, who has worked alongside him for many years, are much-loved by the community. Shama stopped working in 2020 with the Covid epidemic, but when the pandemic eased, she loved to return to the shop, just to sit and chat to the customers that they have got to know so well over the years.
Varinder is now retiring, aged 86. He had wanted to work until aged 90, but a bad bout of pneumonia made him rethink plans, and he found a suitable buyer for the business, but he’s still keen to work on an ad hoc basis.
Great feedback from customers over the years and Post Office product knowledge has resulted in Best Postmaster Awards for Varinder on several occasions.
Varinder is so customer-focussed that he likes to go the extra mile for his loyal customers, contacting the council, councillors and the MP on their behalf.
Postmaster, Varinder Kumar, said: “We have got to know our customers so well over more than 50 years, that we will keep popping back to see people as we don’t live far and we have built up such friendships over the years and they have become like family. Whilst refurbishment work has been going on ready for the new owners, we have popped back several times and people rush over to see us as soon as they see us arrive.
“People who had moved away, would come back to visit relatives in the area, would come back, often with children and they would make a point of coming to see us in the shop and introducing us to their sons and daughters or grandchildren. We have really loved serving this community."
People encouraged him to stand as a councillor or magistrate, but his Post Office and shop and a filling station kept him busy. He was also contented serving the community in other ways.
Varinder did several years of fund-raising events for Children In Need and managed to get several jackets from Tina Turner and one from Joanna Lumley to raffle.
Post Office Area Manager, Natalia Anderson, said: “Varinder is a first class postmaster. He and his wife, Shama, have been at the heart of this community for 53 years. They are very popular and highly respected. They have provided great service and they really care about their customers that they have built wonderful rapport with.
“I want to sincerely thank Varinder for 43 years of dedicated service as postmaster. I wish them both a well-earned retirement. They will be sorely missed. The community is delighted that there is a new postmaster taking over, who has undertaken a major refit.”
A new, experienced postmaster, Selvan Jayaramen from York, has undertaken a full refurbishment of the Post Office and shop, which took three months and it re-opens on 10 July. The major refit of the double-sized shop includes new windows, lighting, flooring, shelving and air conditioning.