Polish bus drivers give stamp of approval to revamped Inchinnan Post Office

Jul 27 2011 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

A SQUAD of Polish bus drivers are helping to boost sales at a busy Post Office.

Young entrepreneur Fahid Amin, 26, bought Inchinnan Post Office last September and immediately set about transforming the business.

Since then, his hot food takeaway and extended opening hours have been a hit with locals – as well as Polish drivers who work at the Arriva bus depot next door.

That has prompted Fahid to encourage his Eastern European customers still further by stocking a range of Polish goods.

And the Polish shoppers have given the move their stamp of approval.

Fahid told the Paisley Daily Express: “When I bought the shop last year, it needed a lot of work done to it and I was concerned that it would be difficult to make a go of it, with all the competition from the big supermarkets, but the local community and the drivers from the nearby bus depot have been really supportive.

“We are open from 6am till 10pm, so the drivers tend to come in at the beginning and end of their shifts.

“Many of the drivers are from Poland and, to make them feel more at home, we have started to stock Polish food. The business is doing so well that we have decided to expand and offer a wide range of hot take-away food.”

Fahid employs four full-time and one part-time member of staff at his Post Office.

He was given £15,000 by ethical lender DSL Business Finance to breathe new life in the old business.

Fahid said: “I wasn’t able to get all the cash I needed from the bank, so I turned to DSL Business Finance and they were really helpful.

“I had to present my business idea to a Dragons’ Den-style panel to get the loan approved. I was shaking with nerves on the day but I must have done a good job as DSL told me I could have the loan.

“You could say that business is in my blood. My mum and dad also run their own stores.”

Eunice Lancaster, general manager at DSL, said: “It’s great to see a young person like Fahid making such a success of a local business.

“Many small stores and post offices in towns and villages around the country are closing due to the economic downturn and competition from the bigger out-of-town supermarkets. However, by tailoring the products he sells to the needs of the local community, such as the Polish drivers, Fahid has shown that it is possible to run a successful store in a small town.”