IT'S the end of an era in Lenadoon today as fishmonger Tommy Curran hangs up his apron for the last time after 40 years serving the local community. Tommy first opened his pitch near the Lenadoon shops in 1986. Over the years he has served hundreds of local families every Friday come rain, hail or shine. But today as the rain came down and a steady stream of customers bid him farewell, Tommy reflected on the changing face of his business over the past 40 years and on why he is taking early retirement. “I can’t do another winter,” he said, as he serves another customer at his familiar white van. “Fish has also got very expensive in recent years, so I’m calling it a day.” The Ardglass man says he’s going to miss the craic every Friday as he has made so many friends over the years. “They are marvellous people,” he said. “But the business has changed so much over the years. The black taxis used to stop here – they used to pick people up right here. There were queues of people here. People would be coming off the taxis and coming straight to me. That was a normal Friday – they were coming from everywhere. “And also the supermarkets came and took business away from the small trader.”
