It has not been the happiest of times for Chalk residents of late.

First the news that a new Lower Thames Crossing may burrow through the gorgeous countryside, and now one of the village’s most cherished traders is shutting up shop.

Ashraf Jeraj, 71, and wife Shamim, 66, have provided the people of Chalk with their newsagents of choice for more than 30 years, but are finally moving on this Sunday.

“Running the newsagent’s is our life,” said Ashraf, who moved to Chalk with his wife of 38 years in 1984 after some years as a greengrocer in Bexley.

"I know quite a lot of people in the village from the last 30 years and nearly all of them – besides being customers – are good friends as well.

“It is a nice, friendly village and we have enjoyed our stay here very much.”

The couple raised all three of their children – Rukaiya, 37, Abbais, 34, and Zainab, 27 – in the village, and they are proud grandparents to five year old Ibrahim and little Aisha.

Aisha was born in the home housing the shop in 2014.

They are now moving to Enfield to live with their GP son Abbais, but Ashraf insists they will miss Chalk.

“All around Chalk it is a lovely area,” he said.

“People have been very nice to us and we have given them a good service as best as we could provide...” - Ashraf Jeraj

“Chalk is not really a passing trade area so we just get lots of local customers.

“The residents are the ones who come in to get their newspapers, their milk, their confectionery and all that.

“They are sad to see us go and we are sad to leave, but we are coming to an old age. It is proving a bit hard to keep the business going.”

Despite trying to sell the business as early as November 2013, there were no takers.

Gravesham council has now approved an application to have the building converted into flats, which Ashraf says will be “beautiful” and “in keeping with the village scene”.

Ivor Stubbs, 83, a regular customer, said: “He has given an excellent service and I would like to say thank you to Ashraf and his family for making us a very happy lot.

“I have been going there every morning for 18 years and I will miss him.”

Whenever there has been no paper boy on hand, Ashraf has been more than happy to deliver newspapers.

“He has given an excellent service and I would like to say thank you to Ashraf and his family for making us a very happy lot..." - Ivor Stubbs

He said: “I always made sure that people got the papers and got a good service – in rain, snow and sunshine we always delivered!

“People have been very nice to us and we have given them a good service as best as we could provide.”

Even when the Post Office shut down its counter at the store in 2005, Ashraf and Shamim battled on.

Ashraf expects there to be plenty of emotional goodbyes with long-time customers.

We will certainly be sad to see him go, too, with copies of the Messenger stacked up right next to the door.

How fitting it seems to bow out from a newsagents with your own story in the local paper.