Despite being told to “go back home” decades ago, this South London retailer family chose to stay firm both to their business and belief. In doing so, they ended up creating not just a place to buy food and drink, but a space where people feel safe, seen and included.
Meet & Deep Newsagents in Twickenham may look, at first glance, like a traditional neighbourhood convenience store. Founded by Shashi and Pallu Patel, it is now run by second-generation family members Deepen (Dee) and Meeten (Mitz) Patel.
In business for over four decades, the store has steadily taken on roles that extend well beyond retail.
In a candid conversation with Asian Trader, Dee shared in detail the story behind this store.
“Apart from selling food, drinks, confectionery, snacks, tobacco, alcohol and the usual household stuff, we use our shop in many ways to help the community. That is how we have been operating since decades,” he said.
“When my parents first took over the shop 40 years ago, it was a different time and era.
“Some of the people in this region were racist and didn't want Asian people as traders. My parents were told things like ‘we don’t need you; go back home’.”
“My mother, who was barely 18, was intimidated by those aggressive actions,” Dee said.
“She went to seek guidance from our guru at the Swaminarayan temple, and the advice she received was simple – be kind, even to people who don’t deserve kindness.”
That principle became the foundation of both the family and the store.
“My parents started doing all kinds of seva from the store, and that's how they started all these initiatives of helping the community.
“When my brother and I got involved with the business, we added some more,” Dee said.
Today, Meet & Deep Newsagents doubles as a food bank, a book bank, a community “heat hub, when the store encourages whoever wants to warm themselves a bit when it gets chilly”, and a recognised safe space for children.
It is also a place where people experiencing loneliness or mental health challenges know they can sit, talk and feel heard.
Karma calling
In fact, this is a shop where people are welcomed even if they are not buying anything.
Dee shared, “We also have a loneliness phone helpline as well. We started this during COVID when people were working from home and were feeling isolated.”
The calls have never really stopped.
“We still hear from people battling loneliness and looking for company,” he added.
The store’s impact is perhaps most visible on Christmas Day, the only day convenience retailers close their doors. The Patel family opens up instead, not to trade, but to offer comfort, conversation and festive spirits to those facing a lonely Christmas.
“What started for one elderly person 20 years ago has now become a huge community event,” Dee said. “What’s interesting is that we now see a lot of young people too.”
The family dresses in fancy dress, decorates the shop with disco lights and serves free food. This past Christmas, more than 500 homemade samosas were handed out, along with hot tea and desserts.
The store’s ethos of kindness extends beyond people, touching animals, rodents and even insects.
“As a rule, we don’t sell fly killers, mouse poison or anything like that and educate people about harmless ways to keep them away,” Dee said.
Over the years, Meet & Deep Newsagents has come to be known locally as a “good karma” shop.
Despite its sea of community activities, Meet & Deep Newsagents continues to be a successful trading business as well. The store has Tesco and Sainsbury’s outlets nearby yet has retained a loyal customer base built on familiarity and trust.
"Obviously we are serious about business as well. Even though it is a small store, we try to keep as much as we can; our ethnic food line is something that people do not find anywhere else nearby,” he says.
Alongside core convenience lines, the store also stocks a world food range including Indian savoury snacks, ready-made mixes for dosa, for example, as well as a strong selection of vegan chocolates and sweets.
The family has intentionally chosen not to affiliate with a symbol group, preferring the flexibility to range independently. They also believe being tied to a group could restrict the way they support their community.
Taking stock
Stock is sourced through a mix of wholesalers, mainly through Booker and Bestway. The store also runs a home delivery service with several locals placing bulk weekly orders.
While the Patel family has owned the business for 40 years, the premise itself is about 124 years old and is “actually one of the oldest newsagents in the whole of Twickenham”.
“Interestingly, the store has always been run by a family. That way, it feels as if we are taking care of a heritage,” he said.
Ironically, the same people who once wanted the couple to leave now feel thankful for their presence in the community.
“It's almost like my parent’s persistence to remain kind to the community, to take the insults and just smile, paid off in the end and came back as good karma,” Dee said.
In 2024, the family was honoured with Point of Light award along with a note from then prime minister Rishi Sunak.
“This shop has taught us more about life, people and business than all of our degrees put together,” Dee concluded.
As Meet & Deep Newsagents enters its fifth decade under Dee and Mitz, it stands as a testimony that trust and kindness can also be a long-term and high ROI business model.