Electric supplies trader still has spark after 50 years in business in town centre

The electrical and electronic industry may have changed greatly over the past half a century, but one trader in Great Yarmouth has remained a constant throughout.

Vernon Morris opened Bargain Buy in King Street in 1968 as a “shy little boy” and over the intervening decades has become known as the go-to man for electrical supplies.

“I stock things nobody else stocks, even the big shops. I’ve got everything you could think of,” he said.

Mr Morris, 79, lost his wife two years ago and had a triple heart bypass in July, but claims he is now feeling “stronger than ever”.

He said: “At one point I had pneumonia, sepsis and E. coli; they said I was lucky to pull through to be honest.

“I had a blood transfusion and hung on, I’m a fighter.

“Now I have to have my eyes tested to see if I can still drive.

“If they say they’re not good enough then I will have them lasered, because I’ve got to get to the shop - I live for the place.”

Mr Morris, who is based in Caister, has been operating the shop part time since the death of his wife, spending most of his afternoons in the garden or with his grandchildren.

“I have hundreds of them, I’ve lost count,” he said.

“They all come around to use the swimming pool I built 20 years ago, they love it. That’s not for me anymore, I’m more preoccupied with my veg patch.”

As for retirement, Mr Morris says he has no plans just yet.

He said: “I’ve loved every minute of it. The time has gone by so quickly though.

“My dad taught me the basics when I was a kid and I always wanted to work in repairs.

It’s worth all the money in the world to make customers happy when you fix something for them and they leave with a smile.

“The pound shops are taking over trade a little bit, but I make enough for a little living, if I made millions I couldn’t take it to the grave anyway.

“So I will keep going - I’m just getting used to the shop anyway.”

Bargain Buy is located at 142 King Street in Great Yarmouth and is open to customers from 8.30am to 1pm from Monday to Friday.

Is your business celebrating a milestone or a success story? You can contact Mercury reporter Jacob Massey by emailing jacob.massey@archant.co.uk or calling 01493 847954.