For many of Britain’s Asian communities, the corner shop holds a special place in our hearts. My parents were shopkeepers, as were many thousands of Asians parents across the country. It’s the place where many from my general practised their mental arithmetic! It was – and is - the rock that held families together, the first route into business for many of our leading entrepreneurs and one of the most effective ways of integrating people into local communities.
Many have described the humble corner shop as a great British institution. It is much more than just a shop, but a symbol of Britain’s entrepreneurial flare which has led us Britain to be known as a nation of shopkeepers.
On Monday the BBC will be screening a special programme that explores the significance of the corner shop in Britain, as well as its impact on immigrant communities, particularly the British Indian community who took this great institution to new heights. The programme will explore their journey, many who have become large scale corporations.
The programme is presented by Babita Sharma, a BBC journalist and daughter of Asian shopkeepers, and looks to bring to our screens the hidden history of these local stores.
Starting with the birth of the corner shop, Babita will go through its journey to the present-day, charting their growth and shifting fortunes as they mirror the social changes in our nation, from global trade and class-mobility to immigration and commercial pressures.
Along the way Babita meets well-known second generation immigrants who also grew up in corner shops from actor Nitin Ganatra to comedian Sanjeev Singh Kholi.
Babita discovers great British characters who built up their corner shop businesses from scratch, such as Lord Dolar Popat and she'll use the shop as a way to explore the social story of Britain - from economic change to immigration.
Speaking ahead of the documentary, Babita said, “Finally we get to salute the trials and tribulations of this great British institution! This documentary reveals the hidden secrets of Corner shop life and pays homage to the thousands of shop keepers who have served us for generations include my Mum and Dad''.
Laced with incredible archive and great characters, Babita Sharma will show the quirky side of The Corner Shop - and provide an insight into the world of the everyday to reveal an altogether remarkable slice of multicultural Britain.
The programme, titled ‘Booze, Beans and Bhajis’, will also look at the impact the British Indian community had on our nations shopping habits. As Britain’s high-streets and supermarkets continue to overflow in the run up to Christmas, and in the same week that online-retailer ASOS announced an expansion of its team in the UK, this will be a timely look back at Britain’s shopping heritage.
“Booze, Beans and Bhajis: The Story of the Corner Shop” will be shown on BBC 4 on Monday 19 December on BBC 4 at 10pm. Definitely a programme to watch - don't miss it!
