FAMILIAR faces who have been at the heart of the community for nearly three decades are moving onto pastures new.

Since 1989 Amir and Jamie Govani have been serving their loyal and valued customers at the Late Shop in North Ascot.

But Jamie’s ill health has forced her husband and their children to ultimately make the difficult decision to sell up and move on.

“The reason for us to sell the shop is that my wife has cancer,” said Amir, 55, who celebrated 32 years of marriage to Jamie two weeks ago.

“She’s had a few operations but we’ve decided that enough is enough and it’s time we looked after her. She’s getting better but is having ongoing treatment.”

The couple both grew up in Uganda and, despite living in separate villages a matter of minutes from each other, they didn’t meet until they came to England.

They got married in a small ceremony in Battersea and have three children together, Farzana, 27, and twins Alikhan and Zahra, 22.

Over the years they have become generous benefactors to the community, giving large amounts to charity because the British accepted them when they had no money in their pockets. 

“We only had a couple of carrier bags when we started,” said Amir. “People used to knit stuff for my kids because they knew we needed things.”

And ever since day one Amir said he wanted to return the favour after being on the receiving end of the public’s generosity.

“In those days when we started you couldn’t buy calpol over the counter, you had to buy it through a pharmacist,” he said.

“If anyone wanted medicine for their children they used to come and knock on our door after hours because they knew we had children and would help.”

He added: “The British were so kind to take us on. If I have a charity box in my shop and 100 people come in, most of the money collected would be from British people because they have a big heart.”

The shop has been sold and a new owner, a young family man handpicked by Mr Govani is expected to take the reins on April 24. 

Wife Jamie, 55, said: “I’m quite emotional about this. It’s not just been a shop, it’s been a community and it’s hard to leave people behind, but you’ve got to move on.”

Amir said the most difficult thing to leave behind is his brilliant customers as all he has ever known in his work life has been the Late Shop.

He said: “Life is a hurdle, a lesson that you are learning every day. Everything changes. We all make mistakes and fall over.

"It’s important to remember the past but don’t hold onto everything. We need to start on a new page.”