Tributes paid after death of popular boss of Wigan takeaway

Lo Yeung Lai, known as Peter, lived in the borough for 40 years, served Chinese meals and raised his family here.

He died at Wigan Infirmary on January 28, leaving his wife Yun, seven children, 18 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mr Lai was born in 1937 in the small fishing village of Sai Wan, in Hong Kong.

By the time he was four, Hong Kong was under Japanese occupation in the Second World War, which lasted for more than three years.

Mr Lai decided to leave his homeland when he was 23 to look for work elsewhere and got on a boat to Belfast.

He worked in launderettes and restaurants, sometimes earning as little as £1.50 a week, before opening his own restaurant in Stoke in 1970.

The city was growing at the time and when roads were closed around the restaurant, his business dwindled and had to close down.

Mr Lai returned to working in other restaurants and takeaways, then opened his own takeaway - named Peter Lai’s - in an old butcher’s shop on Orrell Road, Pemberton, in the early 1980s.

He lived above the shop with his family, later moving to a larger building across the road.

His son Laurence said: “Out of all the places he worked - in Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle, Stoke, London - it was Wigan he decided to stay. He loved it and made so many friends. His children grew up there. That’s where he decided to remain.”

Mr Lai opened a second shop in Lytham St Anne’s.

His son said: “He wanted to go there because it was quite close to the beach and he was getting older.

“However, after being there for about a year, he decided he didn’t want to spend much time there because he loved Wigan, he loved the snooker club in Pemberton and Lytham didn’t have that.”

Mr Lai spoke to schoolchildren about Chinese New Year, while also personally delivering food to people unable to leave their homes and giving meals to homeless people.

He worked until around 10 years ago, when he retired and sold his shop.

He continued living in Marus Bridge and enjoyed playing snooker with friends at Lamberhead Green Working Men’s Club.

He also liked going for walks, including at Haigh Woodland Park and around Winstanley and Marus Bridge.

Laurence said: “He was very kind, a family man. He was very concerned about family and friends and tried to help anybody.

“He loved his customers. Even to this day, regardless of where I am in the country, when people hear my surname they will ask if I’m Peter Lai’s son.”

He said generations of Wiganers remembered his father.

A funeral was held on Monday, with donations made to the British Heart Foundation.