Clydebank shopkeeper retires after nearly four decades

Iqbal Singh, known to locals as Billy, officially completed his last shift at Singh's Store in Auckland Place on Sunday, April 14.

The 67-year-old was joined by his wife Bal and a band of loyal customers as he prepared to finish up after 38 years.

Billy and his wife Bal (Image: Colin Mearns)Billy revealed he first came to work at the store after his last job as a bus driver in Glasgow brought him to the area.

Billy is pictured with his wife Bal (second from left in the front row). In the centre is Christine Adams, Billy's oldest customer. Billy has owned the shop since May 1986. (Image: Colin Mearns)He said: “I started here in 1986. My friend’s family owned the shop before me and I came for what was supposed to be just two years but I ended up staying for 38.

“When I first came here some of my customers were just children and I’ve seen them grow up and become parents themselves.

“I’ve served generations of families. Previously I was a bus driver, I drove buses in Glasgow for nine years.

“One day I was sitting in the terminus in Dalmuir looking outside at the Kilpatrick Hills thinking ‘this looks a nice area’.

“My friend who I worked with, his father owned shops, one in Drumchapel and one in Dalmuir. At that time there was no one to look after the one in Dalmuir so they asked me if I would like to come to the business.

“I wanted to mix with the community and I have, the people around here are like family to me and I treat them as if they are.”

Billy Singh (Image: Colin Mearns)Billy, who lives in Anniesland, explained the shop became "like a second home" to him and he has witnessed both “good and bad times” throughout his career.

Over the decades Singh's Store had to adapt to changes in the town including both the closure of the shipyards and the Covid pandemic.

Despite this, Billy said he rarely took a day off and the shop remained open almost every day.

Billy is pictured with his oldest customer Christine Adams, right and her daughter Christine MacArthur, left (Image: Colin Mearns)He added: “I’ve seen good and bad times here. Being in the scheme kept me going, the people here have treated me very well. Even when the Covid pandemic happened I didn’t shut for one day and I didn’t catch Covid either.

“We are part of the community and I thought 'if they have to suffer I will suffer'. The supermarkets shut down but we stayed open.

“This is my second home."

Billy received a gift from customer Karen McFadden and her children Ollie age 7, Jude age 5 and Christopher age 13 (Image: Colin Mearns)

It was an emotional day (Image: Colin Mearns)Retiring wasn’t an easy decision for Billy but he said it had to be done due to his health.

However, he now looks to embrace it and is planning trips to Canada and India later in the year.

Billy told our reporter he also plans to return to Dalmuir when he can to visit his customers.

He said: "My legs are giving up now. I would have stayed on as long as my health allowed. 

"Some of the customers said 'don't go, Billy' and that makes my day. I'll take good memories with me."