Dilan Patel, owner of Welcome – Rickmansworth and Postmaster for Moneyhill Parade Post Office, was Highly Commended as Newcomer of the Year in the 2020 Retail Industry Awards.

After successfully training to be a pharmacist, Dilan instead he decided to pursue his passion for business. Three years ago, he opened his first Welcome store, a franchise of Southern Co-op which is a regional, independent co-operative.

He then added a Subway concession the year after and opened Moneyhill Parade Post Office at these premises in January 2020.

The 28-year-old now has three Welcome convenience stores and he is about to open his fourth in March. His entrepreneurialism and great customer service led to Dilan reaching the national finals of the 2020 Retail Industry Awards.

Mike Fitton, Franchise Business Manager for Southern Co-op, said: “We’ve worked closely with Dilan for more than two years since he opened his first retail store with us and have witnessed his obvious passion for delivering great customer service for his local communities. He’s friendly and approachable with a passion stemming from his family’s retail business.

“Dilan, who has also gone on to open a second store in Taunton with his father and recently a third in London, listens to what his customers have to say and places large importance on feedback. His enthusiasm is one of the reasons we entered him for these awards and we are very proud that he was highly commended.”

Dilan’s father, Kalpesh Patel, is the Postmaster for Staplegrove and Priorswood branches in Somerset, plus outreach branches and he is very community-minded. Dilan turned down a job as a pharmacist as he felt more motivated by setting up his own business, like his father.

Dilan researched empty shop premises and he drove around until he found the ‘right location’ for a shop, even though the previous convenience store at this site had not survived. He felt the premises 5-6 Moneyhill Parade, Rickmansworth, WD3 7BQ had the right potential and he took on the Welcome co-operative franchise. His gut instinct, right retail and great customer has proved that he could make a real success of this site.

At the age of 15 Mickey Venus started to work part-time at the shop. Dilan then gave him a full apprenticeship. He worked in the Post Office as soon as soon as the branch opened a year ago. Now at the age of 18 he has been made store manager as he has quickly learnt the ropes. Like Dilan, Mickey is very popular with the customers as great customer service is top priority and they care about their customers. Dilan wants to develop talent at his stores regardless of their age, from young to old. He says he has great staff who are motivated.

Postmaster, Dilan Patel, said: “The addition of Moneyhill Parade Post Office was really appreciated by the community and it has been very good for business. It has been a crazy year with the pandemic. People were very pleased that I had restored a Post Office in the area as there used to be one in Tudor Parade. It is getting busier and busier with people doing all their banking, sending parcels, returning online shopping and paying bills. Then whilst they are here, they are also buying goods from the store too.”