Irene Astbury opened Pet Food Supplies Ltd in Macclesfield, Cheshire, more than 40 years ago in 1981 and has worked there ever since. Up until the pandemic, Irene continued to work five days a week but cut back due to her family struggling to get her to work. Now the great-grandmother of seven works 25 and a half hours a week over three days, pricing items behind the till, looking after invoices, and keeping an eye on her employees.
But Irene said she isn’t giving up anytime soon.
She said: “I’m not giving up until they tell me to clear off. I have nothing better to do, I want to keep my eye on them all.
“It’s better than sitting at home and moping and I can keep my eye on all of the younger ones. I can still be on my feet, and that’s what matters.
“I’ve got no plans to stop going – or I can’t keep my eye on them all then. I don’t want to be sat at home.”
Irene runs the shop with one of her grandchildren, Gayle Parks, 36, who helped take over the shop when Irene lost her husband Les in 2007.
Gayle said Irene is “part of the furniture” with generations of people constantly coming in…
