Wigan village's VIP opening of latest shop

And they certainly rolled out the red carpet for the opening of the new Standish branch of Handyman Stores, with the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester among the guests.

The original shop is in Platt Bridge but if it was going to spawn a sibling, it was almost bound to be in Standish and the premises that it is occupying has long family connections to the couple running it too.

Owners Hayden Turner and Sophie Winnard live in the village and have a traced family history back to the 1800s. The honour of officially opening the store was bestowed upon Hayden’s grandmother Mavis Turner, who is herself Standish born and bred, her father John Henshaw (Jack) was the local chiropodist and resided in Adelphi Street with Mavis’s mother Olive Henshaw (nee Worthington).

The opening was graced by the presence of long standing Standish resident and a pillar of the community Martin Ainscough CBE, a deputy lieutenant of Greater Manchester and currently High Sheriff too.

He said: “I have worked alongside many of the Turner family. They are hard-working, lovely people who deserve every piece of business success they have had and I’m sure this latest venture will follow that path for Hayden and Sophie.

"Handyman Stores was established 58 years ago to serve the Platt Bridge area by the well respected Roberts family.

Hayden and Sophie recently purchased this business and are expanding the area they serve and this store in Standish is the first new location to be added.

Mrs Turner was thrilled to have been asked to open the store.

She recalled the times when she would visiti the premises, when it was the local Co-op, with her grandmother in the early 1950s.

She added: “I’m delighted and so proud that the store is now owned by my grandson Hayden and his fiancée Sophie.

"I wish them the very best of luck.”

A number of members of the Turner family have worked for Standish-based Ainscough Crane Hire which Mr Ainscough used to co-owne with his brothers.