General manager of Walkers Books celebrates 40 years at Stamford High Street shop

A familiar face among bookworms is celebrating 40 years at a town centre shop.

Jenny Pugh, general manager of Walkers Books in Stamford High Street, has marked four decades of service with the business and joined just six years after the shop opened.

She said: “Over the last 40 years, it feels as though everything has changed in Walkers as we have had to adapt and move with the times to stay up to date and relevant to our customers.

“However, actually, we are still the same family business, serving the same community, with books, cards, stationery, confectionery, newspapers and magazines, just like we were when I started 40 years ago.”

Jenny inherited her love for books from reading Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl with her mother and volunteered as a library monitor at school.

She started with Walkers on the government’s youth training scheme, and because of her passion for reading was stationed upstairs helping customers in the book department.

She progressed through the business to become general manager - a position that she has held for more than 20 years.

“The best part of the job is helping our amazing customers,” Jenny said.

“I really enjoy those spontaneous conversations that you can have about books.

“It is so great to be able to swap ideas and share recommendations about what to read.”

She added: “I particularly love it when I recognise our customers from years ago who are bringing their own children into the shop to ride the same rocking horse that they did when they were a child.”

During the four decades Jenny has been at the shop, the High Street has constantly changed with many shops closing and new businesses opening.

Despite this, Jenny says it remains as busy as ever, especially at weekends.

In the past few years Walkers, which opened in Stamford in 1978, has also had an increase in the number of younger people reading and visiting the shop. There is also a branch in Oakham, which opened in 1972.

Tim Walker, managing director of Walkers in Stamford and Oakham, said: “Jenny has worked with three generations of our family, starting with Philip, my father, who started the business, me for over 30 years and now George my son.

“It is my very great pleasure to be able to thank Jenny for her amazing contribution to the success of the shop in Stamford over the last 40 years.

“It has been both a pleasure and privilege to work alongside her, to help serve our community here in Stamford.”