Birmingham boss Stan Hughes sells the business he couldn't give away to ex-Rover workers

Jan 3 2008 By Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail

STAN Hughes - the pensioner who couldn't give his business away to redundant Longbridge workers - is selling up after 30 years in the same factory.

But sprightly Stan, now 72, plans to carry on working and notch up half a century next year at the helm of his Birmingham engraving business.

Stan, who failed to persuade ex-MG Rover workers to take up his offer of a free business with training thrown in, has finally found a potential buyer for his Newtown premises.

But the veteran businessman said he wants to carry on working on completion of the sale later this year.

"I have signed an agreement with a property developer that I will not sell to anybody else. He has got first option and has to make up his mind within six months," he said.

"The developer wants to divide the premises off - it's an investment for him and his wife.

"I'm selling the premises but the deal is that I can still carry on working. I can stay here rent-free for 12 months from when I get the final cheque and after that, I have to pay rent.

"I'm trying to keep my options open. I'm still working five days a week, Monday to Friday, from 6am to 4pm.

"There's a fair amount of work out there, with T-shirts, trophies, banners and engraving."

Stan said he wants to carry on running Newtown-based SJH Engraving until he clocks up his golden anniversary next autumn, and possibly beyond.

He ran the business from premises in Sparkbrook and Nechells before moving to Newtown nearly 30 years ago.

But he remains puzzled why he failed to find a redundant Longbridge car worker to take on the business after MG Rover folded in April 2005.

"I couldn't understand the logic of the workers who came to see me. I do not know why it didn't interest them.

"I had no genuine people come in and say 'yes, I will give it a go'. It was frustrating."