Ballymena newsagent Eugene Diamond closes doors for first time in 40 years
A well-known Ballymena newsagent has been forced to close the doors of his shop for the first time in 40 years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Proprietor Eugene Diamond, regarded by many as an institution in the County Antrim town, vowed that he would not be forgetting his customers and would reopen his doors when it is safe to do so.
“I celebrated four decades of business last August and during that time the door was never shut,” Eugene explained as he stood in front of his now shuttered Broughshane Street premises.
“The regulations meant we could have stayed open but safeguarding the health and safety of my staff and myself persuaded me it would be wiser to shut. I suffer from diabetes and, at 62, I am in the danger zone of risk from the virus.”
Aside from supplying daily newspapers to his regular customers, Eugene regularly provides titbits of news to local journalists.
He recently delivered a consignment of Easter eggs to a local care home for the elderly.
Even though his shop is shut, the civic minded Ballymena man keeps in touch with his clientele.
“I’ve phoned my customers just to let them know they aren’t forgotten,” he said.
“The business is a family concern and people come in to have a chat as well as buy their paper. I feel bad that we can’t maintain our service but these are exceptional times. There has never been anything like this in my lifetime.”
Eugene hopes the effects of living through the current crisis might persuade people to take a different attitude to life.
“Maybe it will change people to be less ‘Me, me, me.” he said.
“They will realise we are only passing through this world for a little while.”
Like everyone else, Eugene is eagerly waiting an end to these tough times.
“As soon as we are told it is safe to do so we will open our doors again and hopefully see all the familiar faces looking for their daily papers again.”