A long-standing stationery shop in Edinburgh is set to close, with the owner taking a "step back" due to health reasons.
Mumtaz Hussain, owner of Newington Stationers, confirmed the sad news of the shop closing down and admitted it was hard to let go considering his father, Karamat, originally bought the store in 1984.
A closing down sale sign in the shop window caught the eye of locals who were quick to post the news on social media, as dozens were left gutted about the imminent closure.
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Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Mumtaz said that the business has been run by his family for decades and he himself has worked on and off most of his life.
He said: "It has been hard to let go but I've had to take a step back and look after my own health. My father bought the store in 1984 and it has been run by my family ever since.
"I realised it just isn't working anymore but it was a difficult decision given how sentimental the store is for me. My initial plan is to hopefully recover in a year's time and revisit the idea of the store but it's definitely closing for now."
Mumtaz also said that the shop could be converted into a restaurant after the closure, although nothing has been confirmed yet.
He added: "It has been a difficult time in the last two/three years due to lockdown and Covid. We were generating no revenue and that makes running a business incredibly difficult."
The store has been a big part of the local community in Newington and has provided hundreds of children with their school stationary over the last four decades.
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