For more than 100 years, the GW Hurley Newsagents on Burnham-on-Sea High Street has been a beloved fixture, run continuously by the Morris family. Now 80 years old, Colin Morris proudly carries on the legacy started by his grandmother, Mable Hurley, who opened the shop back in 1919.
Colin’s connection to the store began in his childhood; he started working as a paper delivery boy at just eight years old, growing up right above the business. After his parents managed the shop for two decades, Colin took over and has been dedicatedly running it ever since.
Despite reaching an age when most consider retirement, Colin remains committed, clocking in 13-hour days, seven days a week. He rises at 4:30am to open the shop at 5am and finishes around 6pm, with a slightly shorter day on Sundays. “It’s quite an easy life now,” he says with a smile, reflecting on a lifetime spent in the community he serves.
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Though he briefly considered stepping back due to age and weariness, Colin has decided to keep going amid challenging economic times, especially with property prices falling. “It’s all bad news at the moment, but I think things will bounce back. I’m still hanging on.”
The Morris family’s stewardship spanned three generations — from founders Mable Hurley and Gilbert Wesley Morris to Colin’s parents, Phyllis and Harold Morris, and now to Colin himself. Throughout this time, the shop has remained a cornerstone of Burnham-on-Sea, offering more than just newspapers but a sense of community.
Colin’s wife, Monika, is his constant support, keeping him on track while he tirelessly opens the doors each morning. Looking back on decades of service, Colin fondly remembers childhood paper rounds and the laughter along the way, grateful for the rich history and connection the shop has nurtured.