THE end of an era is approaching in a tiny West Devon village, when the owners of the sole shop lock up for the last time next week. Enid Stentiford and her husband Len have run The Stores in Monkokehampton since 1968, but now at the ages of 77 and 80, they have decided to retire. Mrs Stentiford said the shop had been part of her family since the 1930s: ?I used to live next door ? I took over from my aunt in 1968, that?s when I started doing the post office as well. ?It?s part of our house, so we just go in and out as we need to. Originally, my grandmother and grandfather lived here, they were blacksmiths, then my aunt bought it in about 1918.? Mrs Stentiford said she and her husband felt ?a bit sad? at closing the shop down ? but both felt the time was right for a well earned rest, particularly since Len had not been well recently. ?I?ve kept it going but it?s a lot for one person. You get things like the milkman early in the morning and you have the wholesalers ? there?s a lot of lumping things around,? said Mrs Stentiford. ?I think people in the village are sorry we are closing, but they realise we are getting older and we must stop now.? But there is little danger that Mrs Stentiford will find herself with time on her hands during her well-earned retirement. ?I?m a churchwarden and we have a big garden, I keep a few hens ? there?s plenty to do,? she said. Mr and Mrs Stentiford expressed thanks to everyone for their loyal custom over the years. They are holding a closing down sale as they run down stock in the shop, which will close for the last time on November 2.
