Long-serving R H Gaudion boss retires after 64 years

The store, part of the Guernsey landscape for more than half a century, was started by his late father, Raymond Gaudion.

Originally operating from a small shop on the Camp du Roi crossroads, the business has grown over the decades and includes hardware, DIY, garden, fencing, animal and pet feed centres, plus the fuel service station and forecourt shop.

‘We will always be very grateful for the hard work and commitment dad has put in for so many years with the company always putting the business and the family before himself,’ said Martyn Gaudion, Tony’s son and one of the current directors, on his father’s retirement.

Yet if it had not been for the pandemic, Mr Gaudion senior, 78, might still not have retired.

Having just returned from a holiday in Tenerife with his wife when the island went into lockdown, he was initially advised not to go into the shop due to his age. Until recently, he was working around 15 hours a week, but he is a man who had always been used to hard work.

‘I regularly clocked up between 55 and 60 hours a week when I was younger.

‘I’d call my wife and say I’d be home by 5pm, but that would stretch to 7pm or even 9pm if I was working on the pumps,’ he said.

Reminiscing about his early days in the business, he said that he started work in the shop that used to be Cycle World on the crossroads.

His father had purchased it after the Occupation.

‘As the business grew, we could see that there was going to be more potential. And that’s when we looked at buying the site where we are now,’ he said.

‘We moved here in 1965.’

Mr Gaudion has seen many changes throughout the years. The most obvious has been the introduction of technology, covering everything from CCTV in the shop to how goods are ordered, although he said that he left ‘all of that’ to his son Martyn and others.

A true family business, the company now has fourth generation members working for it.

‘There are around 10 family members directly working for the business, including my two sons Martyn and Tim,’ he said.

His brother, Reuben, who had also been in the business, passed away last year, but his offspring are also involved.

‘Gradually, everything has been taken over by the younger generation,’ he said.

‘The most satisfying thing has been seeing the business grow like it has for the family. There’s still lots of potential out there today.

‘We’re lucky, we’ve got really good staff and loyal customers.’

Staff numbers is another area that has changed greatly since Mr Gaudion senior joined the business.

‘We probably had around four or five staff when I joined, but now we’ve got nearer to 45,’ he said.

Those staff, their partners, and family joined Mr Gaudion and his wife and family at a retirement party held recently at the Kiln.

Asked how he was going to spend his retirement, he said that he was already missing the camaraderie of the staff and customers and was having to get used to a new daily routine.

His wife, Gwen, had a list of decorating jobs for him.

‘In the summer, there’s always plenty to do in the garden,’ he said.

‘Gwen also deserves to be taken on holiday.

‘And our grandson is getting married in two years’ time, so we’re really looking forward to that.’