Shopkeepers in St Albans Road have told the Watford Observer how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting them and their customers.

Owner of newsagents Local Express Day 1 and butcher shop Iqba Halal Meat, Sajid Ali, said he hasn’t taken a salary for the past two months.

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Mr Ali, whose shops have been in the area for 16 years, said: “I am very worried. I have a wife and three children. Our profit margin has gone down because our outgoings and expenses have gone up.

“For the last two months, I haven’t been able to take a salary for myself.

“I had to increase the price of the drinks to cover my purchase and for two weeks, no one bought any. I ended up having to bring the price back down.”

Owner of food and drinks shop Local Express Day 1 and butcher shop Iqba Halal Meat, Sajid Ali. Credit: Google street maps/Kimberley Hackett Toyin Aliv works at her mother’s hair and beauty supply shop, Remkays, which has here since 2008.

To cover the wholesale prices, some of its products have increased by £15. She added that pre-pandemic they would have 10-15 customers a day.

She said: “But now, it’s just deadly, we are lucky if we get two customers.”

Remkays Hair and Beauty Ms Aliv added: “Things are even worse now than during the pandemic. We are at the bottom of people’s priorities. People are going to eat and pay their bills, then if there is anything left, they will come here.”

Shoe Repairs & Key Cutting owner Jayprakash Champaneri, who has been in St Albans Road for 30 years, has been left worried as his rent and material costs have increased.

He said: “It’s made me feel very panicked. Hopefully I won’t have to close.”

Shoe Repairs & Key Cutting owner Jayprakash Champaneri. Credit: Kimberley Hackett Fewer customers are attending Jenny’s Café, which has been in North Watford for 23 years, staff member Cihan Koyunlu said.  

Jenny's Cafe staff, Cihan Koyunlu and Sahin Koyunlu. Credit: Google maps/Kimberley Hackett Mr Koyunlu, who is part of the family-run business, said: “Business is not the best, but it’s not the worst. We are worried it will get worse, but you never know what happens. I think we can go for another 20 years.”

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