Britain’s oldest chip shop owner is still serving up fish suppers AGED 91 and says he has no plans to retire.
Sprightly John Panayis has spent more than 60 years in the food industry and still works seven hour shifts, five days a week.
Despite his impressive age, he’s showing no signs of slowing down and continues to fry fish and batter sausages at Nick’s Plaice in Northampton.
John took over the chippy in 2009 when he was aged 75 and handed over the business to his son Nick five years ago.
He had planned to step back but found he missed working so much and was bored at home so he returned to behind the frying counter.
Great-grandad-of-two John has served up around 500,000 portions of chips during his 16 years at the popular takeaway.
And he has vowed to carry on for as long as he can keep going after deciding he “can’t do retirement”.
John admits eating fish and chips twice a week – sometimes even for breakfast – but says his longevity is also down to healthy eating and drinking the ‘right wines’.
Grandfather-of-four John, of Northampton, said: “I found I couldn’t do retirement. How many times can you really mow the lawn and trim the roses?
“I’ve never been one to be stuck inside the house, I only retired for a couple of months before I came back.
“I’ve got to be with people and the work keeps your mind active.
“I like coming here and I like the customers, they support us and I am very grateful for that.
“I hope to continue because I feel fine and I have no plans on retiring.
“I’m healthy, my wife is a great cook and I eat the right foods and drink the right wine.
“I think I’ve been ill once my whole life. I eat fish and chips at least twice a week. I sometimes have them for breakfast.”
John first started working in the hospitality business at 17 when he arrived in the UK from Cyprus and has owned restaurants in Hereford and Northampton.
He started Northampton’s first French restaurant and has also run a coffee shop and a nightclub in the town over the decades.
John, who has four children with wife Andrea, 84, said: “The shop has been in the family since 2009 but I used to run restaurants before.
“We started up with my son being the co-owner but last year I bought back into it.
“I’ve been in the hospitality business since 1950, ever since I came from Cyprus.
“I always worked in various businesses and I’ve never been out of work, I don’t know what that’s like.”
John regularly hauls 20kg bags of potatoes around his shop while doing 30 hours weeks and says age is just a number when it comes to work.
He added: “I certainly don’t know of anyone my age who is working. Most of them are suffering from their legs and backs.
“I know friends of mine in the catering business, when they retired they can’t work now – or they’re dead.
“I’ve always joked with my family if I came back after I died, I’d probably be a fish.
“I am 91, I’ll be 92 in March. I’m a day older than I was yesterday, the 91 or 92 doesn’t matter. Why grow old, I never say ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘I can’t do that’.
“I still lift the 20kg bag of potatoes. I can go on until I’m not able to do it, but while I’m able to do it, I’m going to.
“If you retire, you retire from living. Life doesn’t end when you’re 65.”
Son Nick said: “He’s just brilliant. He gives us all inspiration. He has always been a good cook and all the customers love him.”
