Town mourns shop boss Mary Bunner, 101

Mary Bunner took charge of RH Bunner & Son, Ltd, in Montgomery, when her husband Alan died 60 years ago. Today tributes were paid to Mrs Bunner, who has died aged 101.

Staff at the ironmonger and hardware store said she provided a perfect example of how to serve the public.

Her daughter Mary Bunner, said: "Until very latterly mum was still involved, happy to give advice and talk to the customers. She dealt with all the mail until about three years ago.

"She was a founder member of the Women's Institute in Montgomery, which was very involved in making pickles and jams for the community in the war and a member of other organisations, including the local branch of the NSPCC."

Affectionately known as an Aladdin's cave by local people, the traditional hardware shop remains the place to go for anything practical, from lightbulbs to quad bikes.

For some Bunner's has become as much a tourist attraction as an ironmongers store, with staff taking immense pride in still serving customers in the traditional friendly manner and the store looking much like it would have done when it was established in 1892.

According to staff, visitors who walk into the whitewashed shop often say they could be forgiven for thinking they were walking onto the set of the classic Two Ronnies "four candles" television sketch.

Mrs Bunner's daughter, Miss Mary Bunner, said she often wondered whether the set was the result of someone from the TV show visiting the shop.

Today Miss Bunner paid tribute to her mother, who died at home in Montgomery on December 28.

She left daughters, Mary and Ann, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Miss Bunner said a service to celebrate her mother's life would be held in the parish church in the town tomorrow at 2pm.

Mrs Bunner had taken over the running of the shop in 1953 following the death of her husband.

Miss Bunner said: "She had two young girls to look after as well as the shop to run and she worked very hard, helped by shop manager, Mr John Blower. My sister Ann and her husband then became involved in the business and now their son is involved, it is a true family business. "

Mrs Bunner's family said that with the help of her carers their mother had been able to enjoy life at home.

"She really enjoyed her 101st birthday back in October when we had a low key party for her, with a jazz trio. And she even enjoyed Christmas Day with us," her daughter said.

The shop celebrated its 120-year anniversary in October 2012 and even now is still described as an "Aladdin's Cave" by customers and visitors alike.

Customers can still buy a single screw if that is all they need but the shop also stocks everything from quad bikes, garden machinery, kitchen supplies, lightbulbs, tools to toys and also those hard to find items.

Although the shop has grown over the years, it still has Georgian-style windows and an Edwardian front.