With the vast majority of the population having to work from home during the lockdown that ensued from the coronavirus pandemic, there was always going to be a rise in demand for supplies like printer ink and software.

Thankfully for the people of Barrow, they had North West Consumables on Cavendish Street to call upon.

With the store also selling a wide range of E-cigarettes and liquids, it gained more importance for people who were struggling to get hold of those kind of items after non-essential shops were closed.

For plenty during the height of the lockdown, manager John Waite became someone to depend upon as he introduced a home delivery service in both areas where North West Consumables, which has been open for 18 years, specialise.

Mr Waite, who has managed the store for the last six years after initially joining in 2004, said: “People would ring us up to ask for deliveries, or do so via our website and it went really well.

“We were delivering E-cigs and liquids to our regulars and to new customers, but were also sending out a load of printer ink to everybody.

“People were working from home and home schooling and needed paper. It took me by surprise how popular that was.

“People needed ink, paper and even webcams for video conferencing and Zooms and it was a surprise how well that went."

Mr Waite is known by customers for his polite manner and always having a smile on his face and is trusted by many for being knowledgeable when it comes to both computing and E-cigs.

He has noticed a few new faces come through the door since reopening the shop on June 15 and is hoping word of mouth has brought about some new customers.

He said: “It’s been really busy since we reopened. We were a bit concerned because we didn’t know what would happen, but it’s been good to see all the old faces and some new faces as well.

“I have started to notice some of the new customers that we delivered to come into the shop now, so in a roundabout way it’s worked out quite well.”

For Mr Waite, it’s good to be appreciated after the way he kept himself busy six days a week at a time when many people were confined largely to their homes .

He said: “It means a lot, being nominated, and I really appreciate it.

“I’m glad that we’re providing a good service for all our customers and that someone has nominated me for it has made me really happy.”