I'm 81 but I've no plans to retire yet' - Matalan worker of 40 years
A landmark store's longest-serving employee has said she has no plans to retire despite turning 81. Janice Robinson has worked at the clothing and homeware retailer Matalan's first store, on Holme Road in Bamber Bridge, Preston, ever since it opened in 1985.She started as an assistant to its founder, John Hargreaves, before moving to front-of-house.Janice said her favourite thing about her 40-year career had been helping customers find what they were looking for, adding she had "never" come close to leaving.
Janice said: "When I first stepped in to see the first store, it was like an aircraft hanger and I thought, 'how are we going to fill this?' - but we did.""As it was a new company, they didn't know what to pay me, so I said £1.47 an hour and they rounded it up to £1.50."Four years later I got a rise and it went up to £2.23. I've still got the contracts."Others that work here say I should have said a bit more."Janice also still has the memorabilia handed out to advertise the opening of the store."All the big companies were allowed to come in at first and then eventually the public were allowed if they bought a card for £1," she said.Janice said she started doing two mornings a week "because there wasn't really a lot to do"."Eventually I went up to five days a week," she said. "And I've done all sorts of hours over the years."Janice, who now works one day a week, said: "It's a pleasure to come to work"."I really enjoy coming and I've got so many friends here," she said. "Even people who've worked here and left, when they meet me in the street the first thing they say is 'are you still there?'"And she said customers were, on the whole, "really good". "So nothing's put us off yet," she added.
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