Sign up to FREE email alerts from bathchronicle - Daily Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A Bath businessman is trying to sell his Polish food store in Oldfield Park because he says the Brexit vote has meant many Polish customers have left the city.

Polish Food Delicatessen in Moorland Road has been open for 17 years and current owner Jack Hibner took over the shop nine months ago.

But now Mr Hibner, who sells a range of authentic Eastern European food, has posted an advert on the listings website Gumtree, with the business being advertised for £19,999.

The 62-year-old said he does not want to sell but claims fewer people are shopping at local businesses and many Polish customers have returned home or left Bath since the EU Referendum in 2016.

He said: "It is very hard. After Brexit a lot of Polish people went back home.

"This means most of my customers have left."

(Image: Artur Lesniak/Trinity Mirror)

Mr Hibner is now calling on the local community to shop at local businesses rather than larger supermarkets.

“I’m hardworking and a very passionate person.

"I work very long days every day, but I’m not making enough money.” said Mr Hibner.

“I need to restock shelves because customers can’t see an empty shop, but not enough people are buying."

"If I had just ten per cent more customers, it would be a beautiful shop and I would be a happy shop keeper," he added.

The store, at 10 Moorland Road, sells a range of meats, bread, seasonings and other Eastern European delicacies and is stocked using small producers who deliver fresh goods every day.

Mr Hibner, who is Polish and has Canadian citizenship but has lived in Bath for six years, started selling a wider range of Eastern European delicacies to attract more people.

“I try to sell things that British customers want. I sell good quality food which is a lot cheaper than the supermarkets.

“The shop sells everything you need," he said.

Mr Hibner praised the Moorland Road community for supporting the shop and encouraging more people to visit.

(Image: Artur Lesniak/Trinity Mirror)

“The support from the customers is amazing.

“When everybody comes in they say how delicious the food is and how good it tastes.

"I want to stay here and I'm very passionate about keeping the shop,” said Mr Hibner.

Mr Hibner turned to the Facebook group Moorland Road is Amazing! to encourage more local people to shop at his store.

He started posting authentic recipes, such as the Eastern European dish Pierogy, which uses ingredients that can all be bought at the Polish Shop.

“I love England. When I got Canadian citizenship I told people I pledged my allegiances to the Queen.

“I love Moorland Road. Everybody is so friendly and supportive.

“I want to stay here, but I can’t keep going if I don’t get enough customers," added Mr Hibner.

The Bath Chronicle has launched a WhatsApp group to help you keep up to date with the latest news. If you'd like to receive breaking news alerts, save the number 07939 497390 to your phone - we recommend saving the contact as 'Bath Chronicle News' - then send the word NEWS to us via WhatsApp. We will send you a maximum of four messages a day and your phone number won't be shared with other members of the group or used for any other purpose.