June Turner, the 89-year-old shopkeeper who became a national hero after fending off a robber with her walking stick, has announced she is closing her newsagents for good. She has run AJ and J Newsagents in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, since 1975, but a combination of the Covid pandemic and the demolition of nearby houses has severely impacted trade.
Retirement after 49 years
Turner and her 69-year-old son, Alan, who started working as a paperboy at age 13, will close the shop for the final time on Friday. 'I will miss it, despite my daily 4am alarm call but we've got to go some time, haven't we? It's been marvellous,' June said.
Alan explained the changing neighbourhood: 'All round here was full of terrace properties, and it's taken 15 years before they've actually started rebuilding again and bringing the communities back. But habits have changed during that time, and it's just one of those things.' He added, 'On the whole it's been really good memories. We've had lots of fun and lots of laughs. I think I must be the oldest newspaper boy in the country.'
The robbery that made headlines
In September 2019, robber Aaron Mountford, then 28, raided the shop at 6.30am demanding cash. June fought back with her walking stick, going 'hell for leather' at him. She recalled: 'I just hit him on his back and up his bum. I just smacked him. He really had it.' Despite her efforts, Mountford pushed her to the floor and stole £50 and some cigarettes. He was later jailed for two years after admitting robbery.
June later received a High Sheriff's award for bravery, which came with a £250 prize. Speaking at the time, she said: 'I acted on instinct really. I thought there's no way he's having the money we work so hard to make. I wish I'd had something a bit harder with me, so I could have finished him off and knocked him out. I don't really know what was going through my head, but I knew I had to defend our business by any means necessary. I was determined to protect myself and our shop.'
Impact of Covid and demolition
The closure marks the end of an era for the local community. The shop had been a fixture since 1975, but the demolition of nearby terrace houses over 15 years reduced the customer base, and the pandemic accelerated changes in shopping habits. Despite the challenges, June and Alan leave with fond memories.
