A beloved market trader is retiring his stall after "grafting" for 52 years to put his children through university and into jobs.
Riaz Ali, known by customers as Raja, opened his womenswear stall "Guys n Gals" in St Mary's Market, St Helens, in 1971 and has worked most days for the past 52 years to help support his four children in their careers, as well as his wife of 47 years, Tasneem. In his five decades, the 70-year-old said he has seen a drastic change in the town, and despite his love for the job, he feels the time is right to retire.
His son Saif, who works as a dentist, told the ECHO that his dad "put in the graft" so that his kids could study and go into their desired professions.
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The 29-year-old said: "My dad always put a huge emphasis on education, even though he didn't have a particularly high level of education himself, he worked hard and grafted at the market every day so we could study and go into our professions."
Riaz has three other children, Abbas, Asad, and Iqra- as well as four grandchildren. All four of his children work in professional fields- with Saif explaining his dad's hard work at the stall made it possible for him and his siblings to pursue their dreams. He said: "We wouldn't be where we are now if he didn't push us."
Having started at the stall as an 18-year-old, taking over from his uncle, Riaz has naturally witnessed a huge change in the town- from the heyday of shopping in St Helens in the 1980s and 1990s to now, where he says "there is nothing open".
He told the ECHO: "Back 20 to 30 years ago it was so busy, especially around Christmas time, we wouldn't even have time to have a drink or food all day because we were so busy. I think the mines and the glass factory closing has hurt the town- and now you look around, there is nothing open.
"One of the great things is that there are generations of families that know me, people who came to the stall with their parents as children, now come with their own children as adults- people have been coming for 20-30 years and they are very sad to see us close."
Saif added: "My late grandad came here in 1959 and my dad in 1970, without their constant hard work over the course of 50 years plus, myself and my siblings wouldn’t have been able to go into education, graduate and pursue our own careers. For that we are forever grateful and it’s time for dad to put his feet up, relax and play with the grandchildren now"
As he packs down his stall for the final time, Riaz said he will miss his customers, but can now spend some well-earned time with his grandchildren. When asked if he has a message for his customers, he said: "Be happy and enjoy your life."
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