A CHIP shop owner is hanging up his apron after more than 30 years of serving Ulverston customers.

Christos Alexandrou, 73, is selling Lakeland Continental chip shop on King Street after 31 years of business.

The Greek businessman, who also owns the takeaway Walney Conti, is bidding farewell to his chip shop which he will ‘dearly miss’.

He said: “I’m getting a bit old now and thought it was time to do something different - something which requires less work and doesn’t mean getting up at 7am and going to bed at midnight.”

Mr Alexandrou said he would miss the relationships with customers most of all.

“When you’ve been somewhere for 30 years, you build great relationships with the people,” he said.

“It’s a lifetime to be in the same town - all the memories are with the same people."

He added: "You see the same faces every day, hear about their problems and get to know them really well.

“I’ll definitely miss that part of the business but I have to get on with my life.”

Mr Alexandrou said there had been ‘huge interest’ since advertising the shop online.

“I only said it was up for sale last night and I’ve already had 15 people interested,” he said.

“I’m booked up all next week with appointments.”

Mr Alexandrou said it would be a ‘sad day’ when he finally says farewell.

“There will definitely be a tear or two shed,” he said.

“It will be a sad day for me after 30 years but you’ve got to say goodbye.

“I’ll miss it very much.”

In his retirement, Mr Alexandrou is in talks to set up another business in Barrow which is yet to be confirmed.