New owners at the helm at 63-year-old family-run Isle of Wight store

An Isle of Wight village has marked the beginning of a new era as its historic store changes ownership and joins Nisa’s symbol group.

Brothers Pranay and Nick Patel have taken over Vic’s Stores in Nettlestone to complement the four other stores already in their portfolio. Formerly a Londis, the store has opened as a Nisa Local and has moved across the road into the former Roadside Inn pub.

The Patels have taken the reigns from husband-and-wife Charles and Linda Brading, who announced they were retiring at the end of 2023. Charles, who has been employed at the shop since he was 14, took over the family business, alongside Linda, in 1990. The business was first established by his parents, Vic and Jean Brading in 1960 as a mobile van.

Charles and Linda will continue working flexibly at the store and as a nod to the family, the shop will continue to be called Vic’s Stores.

Now part of Nisa’s symbol group, the store will continue to stock everything that customers have come to expect from the old store but boasts a bigger premises and a larger range of products including the addition of Co-op own brand lines.

The store will also offer a frozen range of food by brand Cooks, a Tango Ice Blast machine and the addition of PerfectDraft kegs – with the store becoming one of the company’s official partners on the Island.

“The whole process from start to finish has been brilliant and I can’t thank the local community enough for the support they’ve given us. The transition from pub to convenience store has been incredibly smooth and we’ve really been helped along the journey by Charles and Linda who are staying on with us as part of a new era for the store,” Pranay said.

 “The new store offers a bigger range, longer opening hours and car parking spaces to enhance the store’s opportunities. The Co-op own brand range has been successful in store already and brings a brand-new proposition for the local community. The reaction from our customers has been better than we expected, and we’re delighted with how the store has been received.”

Richard Bishop, retail development manager at Nisa, added: “I was delighted to attend the official launch of the store and to see the excitement of the local residents who are delighted to have Pranay and Nisa open a store in their community. It’s brilliant that the Patels have worked so closely with the Brading family to bring the store a brand-new proposition whilst retaining the store’s heritage.”